The Prince Wants a Wife
by 13-Red-Cards
Summary: The classic tale of Cinderella, following the original storyline as invented by the Brothers Grimm and told from the viewpoint of a prince who sometimes has a hard time being charming.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, this is _Cinderella, _or _Aschenputtel,_ as the Brothers Grimm called it, told from the point of view of the prince. It will follow the original story, not the fairy godmother version that we poor souls in the U.S. are familiar with. Hope you enjoy it! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

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**Chapter 1: **

"I do hope you'll try to be charming at the upcoming ball," my mother the queen sighed as a maid arranged her hair before a large mirror.

I smiled tightly and nodded. So this was why Mother had summoned me. Well, she needn't have bothered. I had already determined to be as charming as I possibly could be. Charm did not come easily to me, but I would try. Lord knows I wanted to find a wife. I had been of age for several years, and one day my instincts had finally woken up and told me, "Prince Maximilian, you must get yourself a wife."

I knew exactly what sort of a wife I wanted, too. She would be intelligent, entertaining in one way or another, good-natured, not a gossip, low-maintenance, and full of practical wisdom. Hopefully she would also be infatuated with me. Beauty would be nice, but as long as she was passably pretty I didn't really plan on making a fuss.

But I couldn't dream at the moment. My mother was talking again. "Do you remember that delightful daughter of the foreign dignitary who visited last month?" she asked.

"Yes, I remember her," I replied, wondering where we were going with this. The girl had been a horror; even my mother had said so. "I remember that you didn't care for her."

"Well, I just received the most gracious letter from her," my mother said, opening a letter that she had been holding and smiling down at it. "Perhaps she have improved in the past month."

Perhaps elephants have become purple. But I couldn't say such a thing to my mother the queen. "I am unconvinced," I said flatly.

"I have invited her to the ball," my scheming mother admitted.

"You did not," I groaned. "Why? Why would you invite that little fiend?"

"Little? She is only two years your junior."

"That may be so, but she acts much younger, and if she starts misbehaving again, I'll definitely tell her so," I declared, standing taller in my resolution.

"You mustn't do such a thing!" my poor mother gasped. "This is why I keep warning you to be charming!"

"I'll be charming," I sighed. "I'll be the essence of charm. I'll be such a charmer that the poor maidens will be dreaming about me when they return to their beds at night."

"That was an indecorous statement," Mother corrected me with a frown of admonishment. "Don't say it again."

I didn't reply immediately. Instead, I simply peered about the room. What an odd place it was: full of fans and perfumes and other mysterious, womanly objects. There was something shiny under one of the soft armchairs, and I was dying to go see what it possibly be. But suddenly a new thought came to me, and I was distracted from the odd, shiny object.

"Honestly, do I need to be so charming?" I asked. "I'm a prince. I don't see that my being charming will affect these maidens' hearts too much."

Looking back at me through her mirror, my mother gave me a killing glare. "Never say that in my presence again. Your puffed-up opinion of yourself may support such words, but I never will. Remember that the woman most worthy of being wooed is least likely to be easily won. Do you understand, Maximilian?"

I understood, and told her so. After all, I too wanted to find a worthy wife.

"I couldn't bear to have you end up like your wretched sister," Mother muttered as her maid sprayed her hair with several perfumes at once. Mother had never forgiven my sister Ingrid for joining a convent instead of marrying an eligible noble.

"Mother," Ingrid had patiently said when faced with her affectionate parent's disappointed rage, "you and I both know that I am not suited for married life. Let Max make a good connection. I go to the convent."

And so, she had gone to the convent, leaving behind an enraged mother, an apathetic father, and a lonely younger brother. However, I didn't begrudge Ingrid her freedom. If she felt disinclined to marry, then she should not be forced into a match. I, for my part, as I have told you several times already, was ready for a wife!

When I finally was permitted to leave my mother, I went to visit my father the king, who had requested my presence in his private chambers as soon as was convenient. I found Father seated at his royal desk, chewing on the end of his royal feather pen.

I had always loved Father's chambers. They had a pleasant, manly feel. Everything was made of a dark, exotic wood, polished just enough to be comfortable but not so much that it gleamed too brightly and lost its character. That is a common mistake: We polish and polish and polish until all original character, which is often what has attracted us in the first place, is gone.

I found my father the king in his reading and writing room, which had loaded bookshelves all the way around. There was a single square window at the back of the room that kept it from becoming oppressive and allowed it to simply be cozy. In the center of the room, or perhaps a little to the rear, was my father's desk, in which he kept various private things about which I had always been desperately curious.

"Sir?" I said, poking my head into the room. "You called?"

"Don't be so timid, Maximilian," my father boomed at me. "Come out and proclaim your presence like a man!"

Oh, dear. He was in one of his _manly_ moods. I tried again in a louder, more confident voice. "You called, sir?"

"That's my little Maxi," Father said affectionately. Ugh. How I hated that nickname. It had been given to me when I was three and had stuck like a burr to a wool sweater.

"What do you need?" I asked. Mother had wearied me, and I was eager to be outdoors. It was a fine, sunny, breezy day in autumn, yet here I was stuck inside the palace! That single window at the back of the room was taunting me.

"I would like your opinion on several aspects of this ball," Father replied, shuffling through a pile of papers on his desk. "Is it agreeable to you if we send out invitations to all noble or wealthy families?"

"Why not?"

"That's the spirit! Be aware that there will be a receiving line as the ball begins."

"Very well then, I am now reconsidering inviting all these families."

"Be brave, little Maxi! It won't take as long as you think, and, after all, the ball will last three nights."

"It will?" This surprised me. I hadn't expected the ball to be such a massive affair when I first mentioned the idea in passing to my poor mother.

My father nodded seriously. "Indeed it will. Quite an expense, it is."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault. I daresay your mother has caused most of the fuss."

"She does tend to do that," I agreed.

My father gave me a reproving look. "It's not your place to say such things."

Sighing, I nodded my repentance. "I'll remember that in future." My, I had a lot to remember today! This was unusual, even for uncharming me. "Is there anything else you need me to see regarding the ball?" Please, no. I really wanted to go outside and run about like a maniac, like I used to when I was a small child. It was immature, but shouldn't we all give in to our immaturity at times?

"Yes, actually," replied Father, much to my dismay. "Here on my desk I have a list for you to review. Some things need to be signed. Also, I have scheduled a fitting for you in one hour."

"Fitting?" I repeated, horrorstruck. Fittings took hours, even for men. This was not good. This was not good at all.

"For the ball, of course."

Curse the ball. Curse me, who had suggested it. Why _had _I suggested it? It was destroying my day and probably my entire autumn.

Of course, one second's reflection reminded me of exactly why I had proposed this ridiculous event. I wanted a wife. I wanted a wife very badly indeed, and where better to find one than at a royal ball?

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**So that's the first chapter. Reviews are appreciated! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Before we'd begin, I'd like to thank the two lonely reviewers of the first chapter: CocoRocks and Mockingbyrd's Tune. Reviews mean a lot; thank you guys so much! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

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**Chapter 2: **

It was the first night of the ball, and I was standing at the end of an absurdly long receiving line. It wasn't fun. I was compelled to pay the same compliments to every fair maiden that fluttered her eyelashes at me, maintain the same jovial smile for every proud father who bowed to me, and make the same dashing responses to every talkative mother who shoved her daughter towards me. It was enough to drive any sensible man absolutely mad, and I like to think that I am very close to being sensible.

Never before had I realized the import of my status as a prince. Of course, I had long been aware of the immense royal responsibility that would soon be and in part already was weighing on my shoulders, and yes, thoughts of it often kept me awake at night, but never before had I considered the _social_ rank which a prince possesses. No, this was by no means the first ball I had ever attended, but it was the first at which I was the center, at which everything revolved entirely around me.

It was a peculiar sensation. The idea of my own importance was pleasing, but also a little daunting. When I thought of how charming I was expected to be, I could feel myself begin to quake!

Oh, dear. The line was so very long, and I was expected to remember the name of every guest, no matter how obscure. This, reader, is too much to ask. We royals are not so far above the common people that our powers of recollection are superhuman. On the contrary, I sometimes feel as though my memory is very close to being _sub_human.

Two pretty girls were now approaching, with pale skin and bright, hopeful eyes. I asked them their names, and found out that they were called Gretel and Heidi. What boring names, I thought. However, I could not say such a thing to the poor maidens. Nor could I ask them if they really thought it was necessary to slather so much paint on their faces. What did they think was wrong with their looks? Unfortunately, such a question is far from charming.

The sisters left, and my eyes widened in horror as I saw the next guest. It was the spawn of that dignitary. My mother had indeed invited the wretched, petulant foreigner.

"Good evening, Lady Ava," I said gravely, bowing to her. "It is a pleasure to see you again." There. Polite and refined, just as was expected.

"Oh, Prince Maximilian!" she giggled. "You remember my name. I'm very glad."

"You are very difficult to forget, Lady Ava." How true, how true. Too true.

Fortunately, it is impossible to chat for long in a receiving line, so Ava was soon moved aside to make way for the next group of girls. I felt a great surge of affection for the elegant servant who beckoned Ava to "come this way, m'lady."

The next several guests were all unremarkable, and I despaired of ever remembering their names or titles. But then out of nowhere there came a vision of beauty, blonde as anything, clad in silver and gold. I had never before gawked at any lady (I had at least attained that level of refinement), but it was all I could do to resist feasting my eyes on this maiden. Heavens above, she was pretty!

I wasn't quite conscious throughout our brief introduction, but her name stuck with me: Elke. Lovely Elke. I would have to dance with her. Maybe I could spend the whole night dancing with only her. Of course, that would be terribly discourteous to the other ladies, but I felt as though it just didn't matter.

A fearful notion struck me as the receiving line finally began to dwindle: What if Lady Elke's personality proved to be less than lovely? It had been so with Ava. For a time I had thought Ava quite pretty. Then I had actually met her. Horrid, horrid day. She had followed me about the castle like a starving puppy, and she had howled at everybody _except_ me when she met with any discomfort. One of the maidservants swears she saw her steal one of Mother's necklaces.

Glory be, the receiving line had finally ended! It was now my duty to select a partner for the first dance of the ball. Searching for Lady Elke and her gold and silver gown, I carefully scanned the crowd of guests. Where was she? Nowhere, apparently. I vaguely wondered if she was a fairy who could appear and disappear at will.

The foolish notion evaporated as soon as I caught sight of her. She was in the far corner of the ballroom, apparently in hiding. Why she would be concealing her beauty was a mystery to me. She needed to be pulled out into the center of the room, where she could reflect the light from the crystal chandeliers that hung from the lofty ceiling. So, I strode boldly towards her and, bowing, extended my hand.

"Lady Elke, would you care to be my partner for the first dance?" I asked, and immediately congratulated myself. _Excellent work, Prince Maximilian, _I happily thought. _You have succeeded in being charming, if only for one sentence. _

Elke blushed, smiled, and accepted my offer. Praise be.

As we danced, she remained puzzlingly quiet, barely answering my eager questions. Maybe I was frightening her by being too forward. It wouldn't be the first time. With this is mind, I withdrew a bit. Yet she did not open up. It was almost as though she had no personality at all. I wanted to shake her into conversation. However, that would be obviously inappropriate, and it would contribute nothing to the charming image that I was trying to cultivate.

The night wore on, and I continued to dance with Lady Elke. I could see Ava glaring at me. Gretel and Heidi, those two sisters whom I had thought rather pretty, looked similarly disgruntled. Mother and Father wore expressions of mild disapproval. But I wanted to dance with Elke, no matter how frustrating she was determined to be. Something was drawing me to her, and I didn't feel like resisting the pull.

Then some upstart tried to cut in.

"She is my partner," I ungraciously told him.

We danced, and we danced, and we danced. Exactly how long did we dance? I don't know. It wasn't particularly enjoyable, yet we continued to dance. Finally Elke pulled away and said quietly, "I'm afraid I must be going now."

"Already?" It was a shame that I was sounding desperate rather than charming. But it couldn't be helped.

"Yes," she said. "I must return home."

"Let me walk you outside, to the gate," I offered, and though she hesitated for some time, she finally accepted.

It was a beautiful night. Sometimes, you know, the stars seem faint and the moon looks blurred. But it was not so on that first night of the ball. The stars were truly bright, and the moon was so clear that it almost seemed as though someone had outlined it with a pen. Remarkable, really. I was very impressed with the heavens. Elke was equally awed, I think, for as she tilted her pretty blonde head back to gaze at the stars she took in a slow breath and seemed to gain a new sparkle in her eyes.

We soon reached the gate, where the guards politely averted their eyes, though they must have been puzzled by the sight of a prince escorting his guest from his ball.

"I assume your carriage is waiting?" I said.

"No, I have no carriage," Elke replied.

No carriage? Odd. Everyone has a carriage. A carriage is a necessity, not a luxury. If Elke was a nobleman's daughter (and she must have been, for otherwise she would not have been invited or granted entry), then surely she would have a carriage.

Apparently not.

An indecorous notion struck me. "May I escort you home?" I asked.

At this, Elke literally sprang away, discarding all the reserved elegance that she had been wearing and giving me an enormous fright. "No, no, absolutely not!" she loudly exclaimed, her eyes frightened. "Thank you for your kindness, Prince, but I really have to leave now!" And she hoisted her skirts and ran, yes, _ran_ away down the street, her blonde hair streaming behind her.

"Heavens above," I murmured as I watched her go. "What does she think she's doing?" Even when she was out of sight, I continued to stare down the empty street. After a while, I swore (it was the only thing I could think to do) and turned to walk back to the palace and my ball. I could hear the guards behind me snickering at Elke's display.

As I walked back along the stone pathway, I met an older man who seemed to be departing. "Good evening, sir," I greeted him. "Are you leaving already?"

"I am, your Highness," he said, staring at me with a puzzled expression. "And you are...returning?"

"I was escorting a young lady to her carriage," I explained, "but then it turned out that she had no carriage, and when I asked if she'd like to be escorted home, she jumped away and tore off down the street." I probably should not have told the old man so much, but it was all so strange that I simply had to tell _someone. _I'm sure you know the feeling.

First the man seemed baffled, but then his eyes narrowed in a knowing manner. "I see," he said. "She just...jumped away?"

"Yes," I replied, frowning at the man's shrewd expression.

"Well, maidens sometimes behave very strangely," he said as he began to walk briskly away. I couldn't tell whether he was speaking to me or just muttering to himself, so I left him alone and returned to the palace.

"Where have you been?" Mother shrilly demanded as soon as I had reentered the glittering ballroom.

"I was making sure that one of our beautiful guests returned home safely," I informed her, calm as could be. I had rehearsed this on my way up the palace steps.

Mother didn't quite know how to reply, for it sounded as though I had been acting in a rather charming manner. How could she rebuke her only son when he finally behaved according to her wishes?

"Well," she finally huffed, "the ball has not yet ended. Go dance with some other maidens."

"Have no fear; I will," I assured her, turning away. Oh, Heaven preserve me. There was Ava, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. Instantly, my mind set about comparing her with Lady Elke, although I was well aware that such mental comparisons are discourteous and unfair and should be avoided.

It was a baffling situation: Although I had not _really _enjoyed dancing awkwardly with the silent yet utterly confusing Lady Elke, I did not want to spend the evening with any other girl. I desperately hoped that Lady Elke had liked me. I had tried so hard to impress her!

But no matter what her opinion of me was, my thoughts were quite clear. No other girl would do.

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**Well, there you have the first night of the ball. Questions? Comments? Corrections? **


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow. It's been a really, really long time. But, I intend to finish this story, so here's the next chapter! HUGE thanks to the reviewers of the last chapter: TeenyTinyGee, Mockingbyrd's Tune, 29black, CocoRocks, and Rosa Cotton. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

**Chapter 3:**

I woke up the next morning so confused that I barely knew what I was thinking. Questions swirled through my brain like water being sucked down a drain. Why had Elke left so suddenly, and so…uncharacteristically? She had seemed like a proper, even cold young lady up until those final moments by the gate, when she suddenly sprang to life in a rather shocking, but undeniably intriguing manner.

Yes, I was extremely intrigued. I had never met such a lady. She was so mysterious, so alluring, and, it cannot be denied, so pretty. Now I had to figure out how to charm her. Hopefully she would return. She had run away so unexpectedly that I was not really sure whether or not I would see her again. There was nothing to do but wait until nightfall, when the second night of the ball would commence!

In the early afternoon, my sister Ingrid stopped by to visit. "How was the ball, Maximilian?" she asked me as she entered the antechamber of my personal suite. There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

I didn't like the twinkle. "It was fine," I grudgingly replied from my place in a soft, luxurious armchair that my mother purchased for me. I thought the armchair was effeminate, but mother thought it completed the room.

"I see," Ingrid said knowingly. Her eye was still twinkling. "Did you charm all the young ladies?"

"Some of them, I think," I said modestly. "It's easy to charm all the people who you'd rather not charm at all."

"I remember that problem," Ingrid sighed, seating herself in a chair in front of the fireplace. "It's part of what drove me into the convent. But tell me the truth, Max. I don't see why you're being so closed-mouthed. Nothing too terrible could have happened. It was only a ball."

"Ha!" I snorted. "Only a ball? This ball will, hopefully, determine who I will marry!" I knew I was getting far too upset, but I didn't feel like stopping myself. "And, if you must know, last night I met the most beautiful woman in the world."

Ingrid's eyebrows shot upwards. "Did you? What is her name?"

"Elke," I shortly replied. "Lovely Lady Elke." I could see that Ingrid was close to laughing at me, so I quickly added, "And don't mock me."

"I would never mock you," Ingrid said. That was a lie. She always mocked me. Some nun she was. "Anyways," she continued, "do you intend to pursue the lovely Lady Elke?"

"Yes, if she returns tonight," I replied. "She's a little strange, but I am intrigued by her."

"Good," Ingrid said. "A man should be intrigued by his wife." She was now standing and preparing to leave. "I'll come again soon, but now I have to finish my visits to the poor. Have a lovely evening, Maximilian."

"I intend to," I assured my older sister. "Goodbye." And Ingrid was gone.

That night, all the young ladies and their parents returned in finery even more splendid than it had been the previous evening. I looked anxiously about for Lady Elke, but nowhere did I see her. My heart sank within me. She wouldn't return. I had frightened her away.

_Stupid, _I said to myself. _You are nothing but stupid. _

I was glaring angrily at my toes as my parents watched me anxiously to see if I would start behaving in a princely manner. Things were going very poorly. But then I looked up, and I saw _her._ Goodness, was she ever beautiful! I hurried to her side, hoping I didn't seem too eager. I felt a little bit ashamed, because I knew I was behaving something like a lost puppy, but I really couldn't help myself.

"Good evening, Lady Elke," I said, bowing deeply to her.

She smiled at me (Praise the Lord, she smiled at me!) and took the hand that I had extended to her. Grinning stupidly from ear to ear, I led her out onto the dance floor. I felt nothing but triumph. She had returned! Now I would discover what sort of person she was.

"How are you today?" I asked her. Yes, I know it is the most basic of questions, but it's a respectable start.

"Very well, thank you," she replied.

It seemed to me that she was a little tense. I could have sworn I saw her anxiously glance around the dance floor at least twice.

"Are you expecting someone?" I asked, a little grumpily. If she had come with the hopes of running into any other man but me, I would be rather put out.

"No, not at all!" Elke quickly replied. "There's no one I know here tonight."

"Were there people you know here last night?"

"Yes, a few," she told me. "However, I don't think they recalled me."

There was a lull in our conversation, and I began to worry. Was I boring her? Or was she such a boring person that no one could converse properly with her? I decided to be brave.

"Lady Elke," I cautiously began, "I am very curious about your departure last night."

Her eyes whipped up to meet mine, and a guilty blush spread across her face. "It was nothing?" she said hopefully.

I snorted in scorn at her pitiful answer. "Nothing," I repeated.

"Nothing at all?" she tried again.

"Liar," I said flatly. "What was your reason?"

"Please, I don't care to tell you."

I decided to guess. It would make for a fun game. "Is anyone in your family critically ill?"

"No," she quietly replied.

"Are _you _critically ill?"

"No!"

"Are you married?"

"What?"

"Yes, married," I repeated. "Are you?"

"Of course I'm not married!" she said sharply, drawing the attention of several nearby couples. Her face was now very red. The blush marred her beauty a little bit, but I still rather liked it.

"Very well," I said in a suddenly mild voice. "So you're not married."

Elke was staring at me as though she had never seen such a deformed creature. "No, I am not married," she repeated. "But I would gladly marry a kind, _polite_ man." That was clearly an attack on my lack of civility. Oh, well. I had leapt into the pot, and there was nothing to do but allow myself to be cooked thoroughly.

"Kind and polite," I repeated. "Rich?"

"Riches are good to have," Elke admitted, "but they shouldn't be a requirement."

"You would agree to marry a poor man, provided he be kind and polite?"

"Yes."

"I don't think your parents would approve of such a match," I remarked.

"No, they would not mind."

"You must have very lenient parents!" I said in some surprise. How had this woman been raised?

"In some ways, they are," she admitted. Now she seemed sad, for some reason. I did not understand her at all. However, in an attempt to rouse her from her inexplicable depression, I decided to offend her again.

"You need to add some more qualities to your list, besides kindness and politeness," I told her.

"I do?" she said, looking up at me in consternation.

"Add some," I commanded her. "Describe your future husband." The waltz had ended, so I led her to the end of the room in order to begin the next dance.

After a long sigh, she dutifully began her list. "Kind, polite," she said, "virtuous, brave, noble, honest, generous, humble, patient, loving, forgiving…"

"Anything else?" I prompted her. I wondered where on earth she would find such a man. I certainly could not measure up to her rather demanding list.

"Yes," she said after a brief hesitation. "I confess I would like him to be charming."

What was I to do now? I felt like a failure. Lady Elke could never be mine, for I could never be good enough for her. Besides, I still knew next to nothing about her. The only thing I had yet learned was that Lady Elke demanded a fairytale husband.

"Are you well?" her sweet voice worriedly asked me. Apparently my despair was written all over my face.

"Yes, I'm very well," I sighed. "I only wish I could be better."

For a brief time, Lady Elke said nothing. However, after thinking long and hard, she suddenly broke the thick blanket of silence that lay between us. "Prince Maximilian," she said, "you seem to already be very good."

Frowning, I looked into her face. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You are a good man," she said, before nervously adding, "I think."

I sighed. Well, that was something, at the very least. "Thank you, Lady Elke."

We continued to dance for the rest of the evening, and I offended countless young ladies in the process. So be it. As the night grew late, Elke seemed to become anxious. Finally, she looked at me and bluntly said, "It is time for me to leave."

"I see," I said flatly. "Let me escort you to the gate."

The night was just as beautiful as the previous had been, but Elke's words had cast me into a dark, pensive mood, and I could not enjoy the evening. She also seemed very thoughtful, and was continually casting examining glances at me. It was awkward. Nothing but awkward.

_Prince Maximilian, you're a failure, _I was telling myself. _Your only virtue is 'goodness.' What use is that? No, you're completely useless. When you receive the throne, you had better abdicate. You'd make a huge mess of it. You'd have the country at war within a year just because of your colossal rudeness. Fool. Imbecile. Moron. _

"Goodbye, Prince Maximilian," Elke suddenly said, jolting me out of my self-hatred.

"Oh. Yes. Goodbye," I awkwardly replied.

She silently turned away and began to walk down the street. I watched her for some time – only to make sure she was safe, I told myself – and, as soon as she had turned the corner, I headed back towards the palace.

However, at that point, I was gripped by such powerful curiosity that I couldn't help myself. I had to know where Elke lived, who her family was, who _she _was.

_Don't do it, Prince Maximilian_, I said to myself. _You mustn't do it. It would be the most moronic, uncharming thing you've ever done. _

_I have to do it, _I inwardly replied. _I won't be able to sleep again if I don't. I'm going to follow her home. _

**That's that! Please review, if you've got the time! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the fourth chapter! I hope you enjoy it, because I had a pretty tough time writing this part. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to accomplish. But anyways, here it is! A massive thank you to the reviewers of chapter 3: Rosa Cotton, Mockingbyrd's Tune, EmmBee, and Wynteraeon. **

**Chapter 4: **

It was not particularly difficult to follow Elke, for she suspected nothing. I crept along behind her, making sure to remain distant enough that she could not hear any small noise I might chance to make, but close enough that I would not lose sight of her.

I knew the route that she was taking. She was heading toward a highly respectable neighborhood near the eastern edge of the city. It was extremely puzzling that she could live in such a fine location, yet still not own a carriage. Perhaps her family had fallen upon financial difficulties and was obliged to sell the carriage.

_No, that's not likely_, I thought. _If they lacked money, they could have simply lowered the wages of their laborers in order to recover their wealth. _

My thoughts were making me careless. I slipped on a lose cobblestone, stumbled, and made enough noise to cause Elke to anxiously peer over her shoulder. Terrified of being caught, I froze in my tracks, hoping that the moon would wait to come out from behind its curtain of clouds until Elke had turned around.

It waited. Praise be.

As I snuck onwards, I mentally congratulated myself on my extraordinary stealth. _Prince Maximilian, you have a gift_, I proudly thought. It is fairly rare for a prince to be a skillful sneak. Perhaps I should not have been so pleased with myself. After all, sneaking is morally dubious. Particularly when a man is sneaking after a beautiful woman. At night. Very dubious, indeed.

Elke truly did look beautiful that night. Her hairs were one by one escaping from their places, and the effect, at least from behind, was charming. Her dress was also a work of art. I don't normally notice women's dresses, but this particular garment could have been made by fairies. Pure loveliness.

My thoughts suddenly turned to my parents. Oh, they would be furious when I returned. To abandon a ball was the greatest of sins, and I knew my mother would not forgive me for several years. My father would be slightly more sympathetic, but nevertheless, I did not at all look forward to my reappearance at the palace.

Once again, my preoccupation caused me to make an unnecessary sound, and once again, I held my breath as I hoped and prayed that the fearful Elke would not catch me. She didn't. I was safe yet again.

An obnoxious, nocturnal bird suddenly made an enormous squawk, and I nearly fell over in surprise and terror. Yes, I was frightened by a small, nocturnal bird, and I am duly ashamed of myself. However, I don't think I can really be blamed for being easily startled. I was extremely focused on Elke, and when a person is that focused, it is always very jarring to have sudden distractions. Don't judge me, please.

I would like to point out that Elke was also startled enormously by the squawking creature. She was actually so startled that she twirled around on one leg and fell over. I do not jest. Although the stumble was completely ungraceful, I was a little charmed by it. It proved that she was, in fact, a human being. It also proved to be my downfall.

As she tried to pick herself up from the ground, Elke's eyes slowly rose until she was looking directly at me. At first, her face betrayed no expression. Then her eyes gradually widened as she realized that she was staring at a man.

"Who are you?" she demanded in an authoritative voice that quivered only slightly on the very first word.

I didn't reply. I had no idea how to reply.

"If you come out and tell me who are, I promise that you will leave unharmed," Elke announced.

What was she talking about? How could she be so bold as to make threats at a time such as this?

Regardless of the source of Elke's audacity, I knew that my chances of winning this woman were now over. I had to reveal my identity and endure the penalty. Consequences follow stupid actions. There is no avoiding them.

"It is Prince Maximilian," I sighed, my heart sinking within me. "I am terribly sorry for following you. More sorry than you can imagine."

The expression of Elke's face swiftly transformed from fear to shock to pure outrage. "Are you sorry for your action?" she demanded. "Or simply sorry that I have caught you?"

"Sorry that I have been caught," I reluctantly admitted. Only the truth would do. I could not afford to answer any of her questions dishonestly. If any tiny chance of gaining Elke's affections remained, that chance would come through being truthful.

"You're a disgrace to your family and to the kingdom," Elke hissed.

Her words cut me like the sharpest of knives, primarily because I knew she was right. She lectured me with amazing ferocity for quite some time. I remained completely silent throughout the entire rant, crushed by the knowledge that I deserved every harsh word she uttered. My self-hatred had never been more potent.

"Is this a habit of yours? What were you intending to do to me? Don't you dare attempt anything now. I promise you, you won't succeed. To think I believed you were a good man! I have never heard of a prince who would so debase himself and his rank. Abandoning your duties at the palace to follow a woman home! Perhaps you should follow your royal sister's well-publicized example and become a monk. Would that teach you to curb your idiotic impulses? Unbelievable. You are quite singular, Prince Maximilian, and in the worst possible sense. It is simply unbelievable! I can't even begin to imagine what your thoughts must have been. What a fool. Return to your palace. You are a degradation."

I wonder if Elke knew that I could order her to be hanged for such offensive words. I would never issue such a command, of course, but nevertheless I could have done it.

Having finished her rant, Elke was simply glaring at me with the fiercest eyes I have ever seen. She was breathing heavily, and her delicate hands had been balled up into fists. I was rather afraid of her. Although she had ceased shouting, I still kept my mouth shut. I was waiting to see what she would do next.

"Why are you still here? What do you want of me?" she suddenly demanded. "Explain yourself!"

I haltingly replied, "My intentions were actually…fairly pure."

"Fairly?"

"Entirely pure, in fact."

She laughed humorlessly.

"It is the truth," I insisted. My boldness was gradually returning. "I was frustrated that I could learn nothing about you at the ball, so I decided to follow you in order to learn who you are."

"You wanted to learn who I am," Elke flatly repeated. "Is that a royal euphemism?"

"No!" I protested as my face turned slightly red. What a suggestion! From a young lady, no less!

"I am Lady Elke," she said. "You already know who I am."

"That is not at all what I meant, and you know it," I swiftly replied. "I wanted to learn what family you come from, what sort of character you have…"

"You can't possibly learn about a woman's _character_ by following her home at night."

"I know that. But it didn't occur to me at the time. I'm quite moronic."

"Yes," Elke agreed. I was slightly hurt. "But what did you intend to do after learning about my character?"

"Well," I said slowly, "as you surely know, I am trying to find a wife."

For several very long seconds, Elke said nothing at all. Then she quietly and scornfully asked, "And I suppose I am sufficiently attractive for your purposes?"

This was too much. I could endure such scorn any longer. Never before had I experienced this terrible feeling of being looked down upon. Everything royal inside me rebelled against it. "You are purposefully misinterpreting me, Lady Elke!" I exploded. "Yes, you are startlingly beautiful! More than 'sufficiently attractive,' as you put it. Yet I followed you not because of your beauty, but because I was determined to discover whether you had any qualities besides beauty that would be suitable for a wife and a queen!"

Elke's eyes widened, as though she was struggling to comprehend my words. Perhaps I should not have said 'wife and queen.' That is certainly an intimidating phrase. However, I was trying to be as straightforward as possible, and I am, after all, a prince.

At last, Elke managed to say, "Your methods were lacking."

"I know! And I beg your forgiveness. However, I cannot part from you until I have convinced you that I did not have any base intentions concerning you."

Now I was the one breathing heavily. Elke silently observed me for quite some time, apparently weighing my words in her mind. I wished I could hear her thoughts about me. Surely she hated me. But perhaps she didn't?

Finally, she quietly informed me, "I forgive you."

"Thank you," I said with as much dignity as I could muster. "In addition to your forgiveness, I have one other request."

"What is it, Prince Maximilian?"

"I would be immensely gratified if you would return for the final night of the ball."

After a brief hesitation, Elke nodded her head. "I will return." She paused briefly, then a small smile appeared on her face. "You are very tenacious," she remarked.

"Yes," I agreed, for it was quite true. "Then I will return to the palace, Lady Elke. Have a good night."

"You as well, Prince Maximilian," she said softly before turning from me and continuing on her way.

I felt just as I imagine a guilty man who has narrowly escaped the blade of the guillotine must feel: relieved, to be sure, but also thoroughly disgraced. I also felt even more strongly attracted to Elke and her strong moral sense. This combination of feelings made me determined to be so charming and princely at the next night of the ball that Elke would fall immediately in love with me. It was not very likely, but it was my goal.

Perhaps I am _too _tenacious.

**Guess I'd better finish writing chapter 5...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's chapter 5! A few words before we begin: I know I mention a gold shoe, not a glass one. That's because in the original story, the shoe actually was golden. I don't know how poor Cinderella managed to walk around in gold shoes, because gold is supposed to be SUPER heavy, but that's how the Grimm brothers wanted it! The thing about tar at the end is also from the original story. **

**I'd like to thank those who reviewed the last chapter: mynameiscolor064 and Rosa Cotton. Your reviews mean a lot! Thank you so much! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 5: **

"Little Maxi, you must stop being so anxious."

I glared at my father in intense irritation. I was annoyed at him on two accounts: Firstly, Father had used my most hated nickname. Secondly, he was not making the slightest effort to understand me.

"I'm not anxious," I shortly replied. "Rather, I am extremely determined."

"It amounts to the same thing, dear," my mother very unhelpfully remarked.

"No, it most certainly does not," I retorted.

"Yes, it does," Father said in a most decisive voice. As usual, he was the pinnacle of manliness. Of course, he was seated at his desk, so this was no surprise. He always was at his most manly and authoritative when he was at that old, polished desk. According to him, his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all worked at the same desk. He claimed that whenever he sat behind it, he felt their strength flowing through him. I was unconvinced. I had twice sat behind that same desk, and I had felt no ancestral powers entering my bloodstream.

Mother was speaking again. "I heard you giving instructions to the guards this morning. You sounded extremely anxious." She was standing next to Father's desk, and as she spoke, she laid her hand upon it. Oh, no. Was she drawing from the strength of former kings, as well?

"Can you explain that, Maxi?" Father boomed.

How I wished he wasn't sitting at his desk. If he would only stand up and step away from that horribly empowering piece of furniture, I would feel far more confident and princely. But he would never do that, so I proceeded to explain my less-than-confident self.

"I was merely instructing the guards to make sure that Lady Elke does not leave the ball before I have learned where she lives and what family she comes from, among other things." I did not at all want to elaborate on these other things. They were rather personal. Fortunately, my parents didn't pursue the matter.

"You told the guards to use any means necessary to keep her from leaving," my mother informed me. Upon hearing this, Father frowned.

"I know, and that sounds like a foolish command, but I amended my orders soon after I said those words," I hastily replied. "I told them that they are not to touch Lady Elke. They should simply try to keep her here until I have had a chance to speak with her about some important matters."

"Marriage?" Mother asked. I was not surprised that she had come to the point so soon. It was just like her to do so.

Taking in a deep breath, I replied, "I hope so."

Mother nearly shrieked, "Maximilian, are you going to propose to her?"

I couldn't tell if she was delighted or appalled. My father the king was wearing a slight frown, and he looked a little disturbed at what he was hearing. "Maximilian," he slowly said, "how do you know that this woman will make a fitting wife? Will she be a good queen?"

"I am not yet entirely sure," I admitted, "but I believe so. I told you about her strong moral sense, did I not? How she so severely chastised me?"

The faces of both my parents darkened as I said this. Any allusion to my disappearance from the ball and subsequent stalking of Elke instantly soured their mood. When I had returned last night, they had lectured me as only a king and queen can lecture for at least an hour's time. I was currently in disgrace.

This accounted for some of their doubts about my judgment in singling out Elke. After my foolish decision to follow her back to her home, they had serious apprehensions about my ability to choose any sensible course of action. I truly believe that when they first found out about my idiocy, they were a hair's breadth away from dragging Ingrid out of the convent, choosing a husband for her, making that husband the new heir to the throne, and forcing me to become a monk.

Father was still frowning. "I would counsel you not to propose just yet," he finally said. "Learn about Lady Elke's family and character, then tell us what you find out. We will come to a decision as a family."

"She will marry me, not the entire royal family. In the end, it is entirely my decision," I pointed out.

"But it would be foolish to decide something so important without consulting us," Mother broke in.

I sighed. I didn't like feeling so dependent, but I could see the merit in their words. My parents were generally quite wise. Of course, if they had such wisdom, one has to wonder how on earth they produced someone as moronic as me. Perhaps idiocy is a recessive gene?

At any rate, I agreed not to propose to Lady Elke. Not yet.

Once the third night of the ball began, I was immediately swarmed by hordes of women. For many of them, this was their final opportunity to win the heart of a prince. I wished I could tell them that they had no chance with me.

Lady Ava, that whiny, needy, clingy daughter of the foreign dignitary, was making an admirable effort to dominate my attention. Admittedly, she succeeded. For quite some time, I was wholly focused on her. However, I was trying to determine how best to avoid her, and I don't believe that was the kind of the attention she was hoping for. Those two sisters whom I had met two nights prior, Gretel and Heidi, were also extremely skilled at maneuvering themselves so that no matter which way I turned, they were directly in my line of sight. Unnerving, really.

I must be candid and confess that such attention is somewhat flattering. As a man, it is entirely gratifying to have dozens of attractive women vying for your attention. However, as soon as Elke entered the ballroom, I stopped thinking about myself and zipped over to her side.

"Thank you for coming," I said as I bowed deeply before her.

"It's nothing, Prince Maximilian," she replied with a shy smile.

I immediately gestured for the orchestra to begin playing, and as the violins tuned, I led Elke onto the dance floor. I could see my parents watching us like ravenous hawks, but I decided to ignore them.

Dancing with Elke was much more pleasant than it had previously been. It seemed that our encounter of the evening before, however unpleasant, had made us feel more comfortable with each other. Before, Elke had felt slightly stiff in my arms. Now, as I placed my hand on her waist, she drew ever so slightly closer to me. The movement was almost imperceptible, but I immediately sensed it, and I instinctively tightened my grip on her. She, in turn, came yet another centimeter closer.

In short, there was some sort of attractive force between us. Unfortunately, there came a point at which we had to resist this force. You see, under certain conditions, a sense of propriety is just as powerful as a feeling of attraction.

As we danced, Elke unexpectedly initiated the conversation. I had just readied my arsenal of questions to ask her, but – miracle of miracles! – she began to talk about herself. I was delighted to listen to her.

Her mother was dead. Her father had mourned, remarried, and moved on with his life. His new wife was rather domineering, which accounted for some of Elke's reticence. Apparently her stepmother had taught her to remain silent.

"Do you like her?" I asked.

"She manages the household very efficiently," Elke evasively replied. That told me absolutely nothing.

Elke continued talking about herself. She enjoyed reading, riding, and shopping. She was extremely fond of nature and the outdoors, but she admitted that she loved fancy dresses and had an enormous weakness for beautiful shoes. I asked her if she was wearing particularly beautiful shoes at the moment. She said yes, the shoes she was currently wearing were made of pure gold.

That was mind-boggling. Gold is _heavy_. How on earth could she wear golden shoes and still manage to dance?

She giggled at my shock. Cute. Next, she told me about her flaws. She claimed to be self-righteous, narrow-minded, distrustful, and a little vain. I found this extremely interesting, but in my mind she was still perfection incarnate.

"Shall I list all my flaws for you?" I asked.

"No, thank you," she replied. "I think I sufficiently abused you last night."

She was simply too charming. I almost proposed to her on the spot, but I remembered my parents' warnings just in time. We kept dancing until my desire to be alone with her drove me to maneuver us to the edge of the dance floor, take her hand in mine, and stealthily pull her out of the ballroom onto a deserted balcony.

"Prince Maximilian, what are you doing?" she whispered. She seemed extremely surprised by my actions.

"You don't need to call me by my full title," I told her. "It's far too long. You can just call me Maximilian, or even Max."

"Maxi?" she suggested.

Anything for this woman. "Yes, Maxi is fine."

"Then you can call me Elke."

"I already do, in my mind." That probably wasn't a very respectable thing to say, but at least I was being honest. Fortunately, Elke seemed pleased to hear it. I wasn't sure what had come over her that evening, but she was being extremely open, and the way she was looking at me made me feel almost as manly as my father acts when he sits behind his royal desk.

As before, it was a beautiful night. A subtle smell of roses was rising from the garden below the balcony, and I thought it very fitting for the current situation. I suddenly wondered if anyone was spying on us, and I looked anxiously over my shoulder.

"Worried?" Elke asked.

"It's hard to find privacy in a palace," I replied. I had not yet let go of her hand, so I pulled her over to the far corner of the balcony, where it would be impossible for anyone to see us unless they came out and searched.

Elke was still staring up at me with her enchanting, empowering gaze. "You're behaving very differently tonight," I thoughtfully remarked.

"I know," Elke said. It was hard to see her complexion when the night was so dark, but I thought I heard a blush in her voice. "I stayed up thinking for several hours last night." She paused for several seconds as though finding the right words to say, then continued, "I was actually thinking about you, and I realized that you had always been extremely frank with me. I decided I needed to be equally open with you."

"Thank you," I said with the utmost sincerity. "I cannot express how happy I am that you came to that conclusion." I was still holding her lovely little hand, and as I looked down at it, I decided that I needed to clarify my feelings toward the owner of that hand. "I suppose I should continue to be frank," I said, "so I will frankly ask a question, and I hope you will frankly answer it." I mentally congratulated myself on how well I had phrased that last sentence.

"What is the question?" Elke nervously asked.

"Well," I began in a slow voice, "I am very attracted to you." I stopped looking at her hand and instead looked into her eyes. "In fact, I am swiftly falling in love with you. What do you say to that?"

Women, please be aware of how difficult it is for some men to give voice to their feelings. To confess your love to a beautiful woman is an incredible feat. I was rather impressed with myself for managing to do it so well. Later, I discussed the matter with my father the king, and he assured me that it was just as painful for him when he proposed to my mother.

"What do I say to that?" Elke numbly repeated.

"Yes, I'd like to know what you think. Do you love me? Could you ever love me? Will you give me the chance to win you over?"

She was just staring at me, and I felt horrible. What was she thinking? Would she ever tell me? My apprehension began to shrink as the startled expression in her eyes morphed into something that was rather tender. At the very least, it looked as though she was fond of me. Goodness, how I wanted her to be mine!

"Falling in love takes more than three days," she finally said, "but I am well on my way to falling in love with you. How can I resist your honesty?"

That was all I needed to hear. My hands wrapped around her, I pulled her as close to me as I could, and I lowered my lips to hers. She responded, and for several treasured seconds, we kissed.

But then she pulled away. Her eyes showed only fear.

"What is it?" I anxiously demanded. Yes, _now_ I was incredibly anxious.

"Love leads to marriage," she said.

"Yes, it will," I immediately agreed.

"That can't be!" she despairingly exclaimed.

"Why not?" This was ridiculous. We loved each other. I was a prince; she was a noble. There was no conceivable barrier. Unless…?

"Elke, are you already engaged to someone else?"

"No!" She was almost shouting. "But I promise you that marriage is impossible. Forgive me, Maximilian. I didn't expect to fall in love with you, and I certainly didn't expect you to fall in love with me. I have to go."

Away she went. She ripped herself out of my arms and ran back into the palace. For several seconds, I was unable to move because of my shock. As soon as I came to my senses, I tore after her.

When I reached the palace steps, it was too late. The guards merely shook their heads at me. "She left a shoe behind," one of them said, handing me a solid gold slipper. I wanted to throw it at his head. Unhelpful man.

I looked across the lawn in despair. Suddenly, I noticed that the marble stairs were black. "What did you do to the stairs?" I demanded.

"We tarred them, your highness," the head guard promptly replied. "We thought the sticky tar would keep Lady Elke from leaving. All it kept was her shoe."

Clearly, everyone in this palace is demented. I would have reprimanded the idiotic guard, but I was suddenly struck by heart-stabbing grief. Overwhelmed by wrath and despair, I charged back into the palace, slamming every door I encountered and swearing at no one in particular with every step I took.

What good is it to find a wife if she disappears as soon as you put your arms around her?

**And that concludes the third night of the ball. What do you think? **


	6. Chapter 6

**I am SO sorry for the delay in updating! I'll try to do better from here on out. Now, I'm not a huge fan of this chapter, but I hope it's at least tolerable. **

**IMMENSE thanks to those who reviewed chapter 5: Dominique the Author and mynameiscolor064. I can't overstate my gratitude for your reviews. THANK YOU! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 6: **

Idiotic and awkward though I may be, I have at last one redeeming feature: I am almost eternally optimistic. Really, my emotional buoyancy is astounding. Over the course of my lifetime, this has been both a blessing and a curse to those around me. My parents were certainly glad that I never became depressed during my teenage years. However, the brevity of my grief after the death of certain relatives was a matter of slight concern.

With Elke's disapperance, my optimism was more sorely tried than ever before. For the first several days after that wretched evening, I struggled mightily with despair, hopelessness, and general despondency. My father lectured me about keeping my spirits up, Ingrid visited to offer a bit of comfort, and I swear I myself tried very hard to maintain my usual cheerfulness, but gloom kept creeping back into my mind. It seemed that the world had changed for the worse, and nothing was recognizable anymore. I knew only three things for certain: I loved Elke. Elke had disappeared. I couldn't take it.

I kept the golden shoe she had left behind. Actually, I enshrined it. I placed it upon a satin pillow and set the pillow on a table in the middle of the antechamber of my suite. Thus, whenever I entered or exited my chambers, I was reminded of Lady Elke. It made my heart ache terribly.

It took three days for me to begin recovering my spirits, and I'm sure the process would have taken much longer were it not for a previously unmentioned but extremely important figure in my life.

I owe my recovery to Rolf, my loyal manservant.

There's really no one better than Rolf. He began serving me when I was twelve years ago, and since he was only fifteen at the time, we became good friends. He's cunning and manipulative and therefore makes an excellent companion for me, seeing as I am unhealthily trusting and guileless. If ever I need to know something, Rolf will hunt down information for me. If I want something done inconspicuously, I commission Rolf to do it. Perhaps most importantly, Rolf makes sure I remain in close contact with reality. He's a splendid fellow.

Three days after the final night of the ball, Rolf was brushing my coat jacket for me. Both of us were completely silent. I assumed he was focused on his work, and I simply had no inclination to speak. However, after several minutes, Rolf suddenly asked, "Your highness, would you like that gold shoe to be dusted today?"

He had never mentioned the shoe before, not even when he saw me place it on the table. Surprised at his question, I asked, "Why do you mention the shoe, Rolf? Is there dust on it already?" I'm no maid, but I'm fairly sure that dust does not gather on an object in only three days.

"Not yet," he replied, "but of course it's very valuable, so I thought it might be better to dust it more frequently than is customary. I also thought _I_ should dust it, rather than the usual maid. Just for safety. As I said, it's a priceless artifact."

"I hardly think 'artifact' is the word for it."

"It's a fitting word for any valuable item that has no apparent use, isn't it, your highness?"

_If Lady Elke hadn't run away, it would have a use, _I thought morosely.

As if he had read my thoughts, Rolf said, "But the shoe doesn't have to be useless."

I looked at my manservant in great interest, knowing his cunning nature and wondering what he was getting at. "What are you suggesting?" I asked.

"Your highness, you have many resources at your disposal," he vaguely replied.

"Yes," I agreed, curious as to where this conversation was going. Normally, when Rolf mentioned my 'resources,' he was trying to get a pay raise.

"You could easily fulfill almost any wish you have."

"I suppose I could."

"This is only conjecture," – that was definitely a lie, because Rolf never conjectured; he simply _knew_ – "but it seems you might wish to locate the owner of that golden shoe."

"Do you have any suggestions?" I eagerly asked. I wondered why I hadn't asked Rolf to help me sooner. If anyone could solve my problems, it was surely him.

Rolf ceased brushing my jacket, stood up straight, and replied, "I have an idea. If you don't mind me saying so, it's one that should have occurred to you some time ago." Since he had served me for so long, I allowed him to take a few liberties when speaking to me. That's why I ignored his pretentious condescension. He's such a snob, he can't help but show it.

"Tell me your idea."

"I examined the shoe yesterday," Rolf said, "and I noticed that it's made for a very specific foot. The inside is so delicately shaped that I can confidently say that there is only one foot for which the shoe would be a perfect fit."

I hadn't realized that Rolf knew so much about footwear. "So?"

"I think you should order a troop of soldiers to take the shoe, travel about the whole kingdom, and ask every woman in the land to attempt to put her foot in the shoe. The woman whose foot fits into the golden slipper must be the one you want."

I pondered these words for a few moments. Rolf had finished brushing my jacket and was now standing with his hands behind his back, looking at me with a self-satisfied and expectant expression. Deep in thought, I began to pace from one end of the room to the other.

"What do you think, your highness?" Rolf prompted me after a minute or two. He has never been one for patience.

"Well," I slowly said, "surely there's a more practical way to track down a woman."

Rolf was trying not to glare at me, but I could tell he was offended. "Your highness, my suggestion is actually quite practical," he objected.

"Tell me why."

"It will only require a few men, so it will not disrupt any of your father's operations. You could entrust the mission to your private guards."

I was still unconvinced. "It will take a long time, won't it?"

"If I may say so," Rolf tersely replied, "barring the possibility of a plague, I don't think it very likely that this woman will vanish from the face of the earth within the next several months."

"She vanished from my palace within seconds," I mumbled, grumpily kicking at my favorite armchair.

Rolf failed to suppress an annoyed sigh. "Your highness, you don't have any other options for finding this woman."

"Can't I just demand that all women by the name of Elke report to the palace? Wouldn't that be much easier?"

"That seems a bit heavy-handed," Rolf replied. "If I was Lady Elke, I would already be slightly troubled by the fact that you spread tar on the palace steps in order to prevent me from leaving. Imagine how much more disturbed I would become if you suddenly issued a command insisting that I immediately return."

"The tar incident had nothing to do with me!" I protested. "Can I help it that the palace guards are all morons?" But still, I had to acknowledge that Rolf argued well. I certainly didn't want to make Elke think I was obsessive and deranged. After all, only five nights earlier she had caught me following her home, and it had not been easy to explain my conduct. From now on, I needed to proceed with wisdom and discretion. _Prince Maximilian, _I said to myself, _there must be no more stalking, tar-spreading, or harsh royal edicts._ And with those methods out of the question, there were very few practical ways to locate Elke, seeing as I knew next to nothing about her. It seemed that Rolf's suggestion was my only viable option.

"Very well," I finally agreed. "I'll do as you say. I'll have the soldiers begin their search in this very city. Lady Elke walked home each night, so she can't possibly live outside the city walls."

Rolf's face took on an infuriatingly smug expression. "I'll bring your orders to the guards as soon as you've written them up."

"And I'll write up the orders immediately," I replied, slightly annoyed at the way Rolf was bossing me around while pretending to be a respectful servant. "Bring me my pen and some parchment."

"Yes, your highness," Rolf replied.

He turned to go fetch the desired items, but, struck by a sudden thought, I called out, "Rolf, wait one moment!"

"What is it, your highness?"

"I'm putting you in charge of the expedition. Since you devised the plan, you'll know best how to carry it out. And I have no faith in my guards. As long as I remember the tar on the palace steps, I won't be able to trust those men."

"Of course. I'll return shortly, your highness."

Several minutes later, as I wrote down my orders, I felt renewed optimism surging through me. Rolf's plan would work. He would find the one woman whose foot would fit inside the golden shoe. He would find Elke.

**So that's that. I hope you enjoyed it! Any comments? **


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm genuinely sorry for the obscene amount of time between updates. My excuses? School, procrastination, and distraction. The main problem is that I got terribly sidetracked working out the first several chapters of a modern Rapunzel adaptation, which (hopefully) will be ready to post soon. We'll see. I really shouldn't work on new stories when I so badly need to finish this one! **

**As always, HUGE thanks to the reviewer of the previous chapter: Silverleaf of the Faerie. I'd also like to thank everyone who has this story on alert and is still reading. I'd love to hear your comments and criticisms! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 7: **

"She's not in the city?"

"No, your highness."

"How can you be sure?"

"We've met with every woman in the city, and not a single one could fit her foot into the golden slipper."

"You're certain you haven't missed one?"

"Yes."

"How certain are you?"

"Completely certain."

I cursed yet again and angrily stabbed my fork into one of the sausages on my plate. Rolf had delivered his report as I was eating breakfast with my parents. While my parents had merely sighed and shaken their heads in dismay, I had emitted a tsunami of foul words and insisted that Rolf must be mistaken. It had not been easy to make me believe that Elke had left the city. Now that I was convinced, I slumped down in my chair, shoveled steaming sausages into my mouth, and mentally berated myself for swearing so much.

_You __moron. __You __have __no __self-control. __What __would __Elke __think __if __she __heard __you __spewing __all __those __curse __words?__Shame __on __you. __Look __at __your __parents__' __shocked __faces. __If __they __see __one __more __speck __of __misconduct, __they__'__ll __lock __you __into __a __monastery __before __you __can __begin __to __apologize. __Don__'__t __think __they __won__'__t __disinherit __you __and __give __the __kingdom __to __your __cousin __Wilhelm. __So __stop __swearing. __Stop __being __an __idiot. __You __should __be __more __like __Wilhelm. __Or __Rolf. __Or __Ingrid. __Or __Elke. __Heavens __above, __I __love __that __woman __so __much._

"Are you alright, Maximilian?" my mother the queen asked, frowning apprehensively as she observed my silent distress.

I looked up but said nothing. My mouth was full of sausage, so speaking would have been a bad idea.

"You know, little Maxi, I think you need something to do," my father declared. "You're too idle. That's why you've become so cranky."

I swallowed before asking, "What sort of activity do you have in mind?"

"Perhaps you should accompany Rolf and the soldiers as they travel about the country with that gold shoe. You'd be kept busy, you'd have a purpose, you'd see much of our land – it's very important for a king to be well acquainted with his kingdom – and you might even be useful, since you're the only one who really knows what Lady Elke looks like."

I leaned back in my chair and considered my father's words. 'Might even be useful.' What an insult. But no matter how offensive his language was, the idea wasn't bad. It would be wonderful to be actively involved in the search for Elke, to be seeking out the woman I love instead of lazily sitting in my marble palace with a plate of sausages.

"I think I'll do that," I finally said. "Rolf, please go prepare everything I'll need for the journey."

"Yes, your highness," Rolf said, bowing obediently. I knew from the tone of his voice that he wasn't pleased I was coming. Either he thought I would be a hindrance, or his ego revolted at the thought of losing some of his authority in the expedition. Perhaps both causes were equally potent.

Later, I came upon Rolf as he was packing my bag. "How go the preparations?" I asked.

"Your highness, I hope you realize that this will not be a comfortable expedition," he unexpectedly informed me.

I snorted at his condescension. "You're so pompous. Don't worry about me, Rolf. My expectations are perfectly realistic."

"If it's not too bold to say, your expectations are hardly ever grounded in reality."

He knew me far too well. Nevertheless, I objected. "I'm turning over a new leaf," I announced. "Reinventing myself, if you will. The new Prince Maximilian is a man of sense."

"Of course, your highness."

We embarked on our mission very early the next morning. Our troop consisted of me, Rolf, the ten elite soldiers who serve as my personal guard, and their captain, Sir Dietrich. Dietrich is a very efficient, practical man. He's completely unoriginal, but if I order him to do something, it will be done immediately. Rolf always enjoys bossing him around when he has the chance.

"Where do you suggest we begin our search?" I asked Rolf as we rode out of the palace complex.

"I suggest the western highway to Schlafenberg. Many noble families have country homes along that road. Is that an acceptable route?" I could almost hear him thinking, _It __had __better __be __an __acceptable __route._

"Yes," I replied. "Remember to leave no stone unturned. Lady Elke is an unusual woman, so she may be in a very unusual place. We must search beyond the expected."

We traveled from dawn to dusk, waylaying every woman and barging into every building we encountered, requesting that every female over the age of fifteen try on the golden slipper. Of course, I knew at a glance that none of these women were my lovely Elke. In fact, I suggested to Rolf that we skip those who were clearly not what we were seeking, but he shook his head and replied, "We must search beyond the expected, your highness."

By the end of the day, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I was hungry, thirsty, tired, grumpy, frustrated, and disappointed. However, I knew I couldn't show this to my men, so I put on a cheerful face and ate my gruel with as much slurping satisfaction as I could muster. I haven't the foggiest idea how convincing my acting was. At the very least, I tried.

The next several months were nothing but torturous monotony. We kept traveling, we kept forcing women's feet into the gold shoe, and we kept proving what we already knew: These women were not Elke. However, word gradually spread that the Prince Maximilian and his knights were on a quest to find the prince's bride. Most people interpreted this to mean that Prince Maximilian and his knights were on a quest for any bride whatsoever. Thus, it very quickly became usual to have a large crowd waiting for us at every village. Every parent wanted his or her daughter to become my wife. Most daughters were very pleased with the idea and couldn't wait to ram their feet into Elke's shoe.

I confess I winced inwardly every time an unworthy foot was placed in that hallowed slipper. Perhaps this was silly. I probably shouldn't have looked upon the shoe as some sort of relic. Nor should I have pictured Elke as an angel, for that matter. I've always heard that it's very dangerous to idealize one's future spouse.

We passed through Schlafenberg without success. Slightly discouraged, we decided to take the highway that led out of Schlafenberg south to Baumhausen. From Baumhausen, we journeyed even farther south to Feldenstadt. From Feldenstadt, west to Dienerstadt. North to Diebenheim. Southwest to Spargeldorf. West to Frauenberg. Even farther west to Kindheim.

As my father the king had hoped, I became astonishingly knowledgeable about our kingdom. For instance, I learned that Schlafenberg has the highest concentration of narcoleptics in all the land, and that Spargeldorf has an annual asparagus festival. I also learned that our kingdom contains far too many women. Less experienced men may wonder at this statement. They may indignantly ask, "How is it possible for a land to possess a surplus of women?"

It's very possible. I'm amazed Elke's shoe didn't disintegrate from wear. Let it be said again: too many women.

By the time we had passed through Kindheim, we were weary, discouraged, and extremely cynical. My ten soldiers could not have cared less about finding Elke. Even Sir Dietrich, who is unwaveringly loyal, was clearly sick of searching for my wayward lover, though he tried very hard not to show it. Though I hate himself for it, I also occasionally had to remind myself, "It is worth it. She is worth it." Clearly, we needed a long rest.

Unfortunately, we couldn't simply choose a random location at which to set up a long-term camp. We drew too much attention. We would be constantly harassed by locals if we stopped in a populated area. For that reason, Rolf and I led the men deep into the Dunkelwald, an immense forest that covers the westernmost area of the kingdom. Although the forest is perfectly habitable, very few people live there. There are scattered villages, and every so often one might come across a nobleman's secluded home.

Fortunately for us, at the end of our second day in the forest, we encountered just such a home. It appeared to be an old but well-kept hunting lodge, and I immediately decided that we would stay there regardless of whether or not the owner was at home. Sullen and footsore, my men and I approached the front door, and Rolf rapped his knuckles on the wood.

The porter opened the door and peered out at us with a puzzled yet awestruck expression. "What's all this?" he asked Rolf.

"This is Prince Maximilian von Jarlsburg, and we are his soldiers," Rolf grandly replied, gesturing to the royal standard which Dietrich bore. "We seek lodging."

Hearing this, the porter nearly flung himself at my royal feet. Of course we could enter! The master of the lodge had arrived a week earlier with his wife, daughters, and servants, and they would be delighted to receive us. Exceedingly delighted. Too delighted for words.

After hastening to announce our arrival to the master, the porter returned with another servant. This servant was to show my soldiers to their lodgings, while the porter would take me, Rolf, and Dietrich to meet the master himself.

The man was waiting in his study. Upon our entry, he immediately rose and bowed deeply. "Good evening, your Highness. Thank you for gracing my lodge with your presence. My name is Sir Wilhelm von Baumhausen."

"A pleasure," I replied, nodding respectfully but regally to him. "This is Sir Dietrich, the captain of my guards, and Sir Rolf, my manservant." Both my men bowed as I announced their names and titles.

"Please sit," said Sir Wilhelm, gesturing to a quadrangle of armchairs which occupied most of the space in the study.

I sank gratefully into Sir Wilhelm's marvelously comfortable chair, and once I had situated myself to my liking, the other men sat as well. Sir Wilhelm once again expressed his happiness at our arrival. He spoke nicely enough. No longer young, he seemed very weary and a little anxious about something. Most likely the sudden arrival of his prince was stressing him out a bit. I couldn't blame him for that.

"Now, if it isn't too bold, may I inquire as to your purpose in coming here?" Sir Wilhelm asked.

I nodded for Rolf to answer the question, because I just didn't have the energy. "Several months ago, the prince invited all the nobles in the land to a three-day ball in the hopes that the ball would give him the opportunity to select a bride," Rolf began.

"Yes, my family and I were in attendance," Sir Wilhelm interrupted. "It was a delightful event."

They were? I certainly didn't recall speaking to Sir Wilhelm at the ball. How awkward. Of course, I had been so focused on Elke that no one else had made much of an impression on me, so I wasn't exactly surprised that I was unable to remember this man.

"How kind of you," Rolf was saying. "Well, at that ball, a certain young lady made a very strong impression on Prince Maximilian, but she disappeared on the final night. We have spent the last several months searching for her."

"I'm sure my wife and daughters will find that extremely romantic," Sir Wilhelm remarked with a half-smile. "You must share the full story of your travels at dinner."

"Your family is also here?" I asked. Once again, I glanced over at Rolf. He made brief eye contact with me and nodded almost imperceptibly. Yes, he knew Sir Wilhelm's daughters would have to try on the glass slipper.

"Indeed, they are," Sir Wilhelm affirmed. "We moved here several months ago. My wife, Lady Therese, wanted to escape the bustle of Baumhausen, and I was quite happy to vanish into the Dunkelwald for a while. Gretel and Heidi, my twin daughters, are not pleased with the arrangement, but I've promised them we'll return to town soon enough."

"Of course. One mustn't keep young ladies hidden away," I remarked. I was gradually sinking deeper and deeper into Sir Wilhelm's armchair, and it felt marvelous.

Rolf and Sir Wilhelm exchanged pleasantries for a little while longer while Dietrich and I sat in contented silence, then Sir Wilhelm suggested that we be shown to our rooms. My initial reaction was to mentally curse him, because I didn't want to move. But when the porter ushered me into a warm room with a proper bed and a fire in the hearth, I praised the heavens above, fell ungracefully upon the bed, and slept. My final waking thought was the conclusion that we should stay in this blessed lodge for at least a week.

**Kind of an awkward place to end the chapter, and I'm sorry about that. But you'll be happy to know I've decided exactly where I want the next several chapters to go, so they should be up soon. If not, feel free to call me all sorts of horrible names. I really am sorry for how long this story is taking! **


	8. Chapter 8

**I've been procrastinating horribly, but here at last is the eighth chapter. I'm not very proud of this one, but it was good for getting myself reaccustomed to the tone of the story. Huge thanks to the reviewers of the previous chapter: Silverleaf of the Faerieand LalaKisses. Reviews really keep me going, so I can't thank you enough! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 8:**

Dinner was an awkward affair.

There were several reasons for this. The first was that, after sleeping for several hours, I was a bit hazy and occasionally had trouble responding to questions in an appropriate manner. Exacerbating the problem was the fact that Gretel and Heidi keenly remembered how I had failed to dance with them at the royal ball. Evidently they still held a bit of a grudge. At least, Gretel did. She was quite grumpy. Heidi, on the other hand, was determined to put the past behind her, and she dedicated herself to seducing me.

The third cause of awkwardness was the mother. Lady Therese was a peculiar woman. Most of the time she confined herself to vapid simpering, but every so often a flash of shrewdness would dart across her face. This was rather unnerving, and it would have caused me to weigh my words very carefully before I spoke if my mind hadn't been so fuzzy.

Heidi and Lady Therese repeatedly gushed about the romantic nature of my quest, as Sir Wilhelm had predicted. "I've never heard of such devotion," Heidi sighed, batting her eyelashes at me.

There's really no good way to reply to a statement like that, so I just gave Heidi a tense smile – actually, I couldn't muster enough energy for a smile, so it was more like a twitch – and took another bite of my dinner.

"So, Prince Maximilian, I expect you'll want Gretel and Heidi to try on your golden slipper?" Sir Wilhelm asked.

"Indeed," I replied after swallowing. "Rolf will take care of it." Heidi didn't look pleased at this, and I suppose I could have phrased the sentence more charmingly, but my sleep-addled wits were still a bit dull. Moreover, I didn't really care about charming anyone except Elke, so it had become almost habitual for me to speak brusquely to or about other young women. I am well aware that this was far from a good thing.

"Sir Wilhelm, you keep your lodge in very good order," Rolf remarked, rescuing the conversation from my rudeness. "It is especially remarkable considering the small number of servants you employ. I believe I've seen only three. Is that the entire force, or are the others so discreet that they've escaped my notice? If three is the whole, then I applaud your economy. If there are more, then I commend them for their invisibility. Either way, your staff is well-chosen."

I've never understood how Rolf can be so subtly rude to me yet so amiable among other company.

Both Sir Wilhelm and Lady Therese smiled at my manservant's charm. "In fact, we employ only five at this lodge," Wilhelm replied. "You've met the porter and my valet. We also keep a cook, a lady's maid for my wife and daughters, and a scullery maid."

"Yes, I encountered the scullery maid," Rolf remarked. "She was –"

But Lady Therese cut him off with an exclaimed, "Oh! That girl is the most worthless servant I've ever hired. A hard worker, to be sure, but so insolent."

"Then fire her, if she's so offensive," Sir Dietrich suddenly said. I held back a smile. The man rarely speaks without being spoken to, but when he does, he's sure to say something obvious and practical, something that everyone thinks but no one says.

Lady Therese's face was briefly and glaringly illuminated by a flash of alarming astuteness, but it quickly vanished, and she turned to me with a look of simpering apology. "Forgive us for speaking of such mundane affairs in your presence," she said.

"No apology is necessary," I told her. "No one's mind is so elevated that he cannot appreciate the concerns of daily living." There. That sounded quite princely.

"How noble," Heidi sighed. Gretel looked at her sister as though Heidi had quite lost her mind.

Dinner dragged on in this manner for another hour. At last we were released, and I made a beeline for my bedroom. I was just climbing a short flight of stairs, happy in the knowledge that I would have access to a bed in only thirty seconds, when I was waylaid by the porter.

"Good evening, your Highness," he said, bowing deeply. He stood at the top of the stairs, and I knew the door of my chamber was only six or seven feet behind him. I shot him a look that clearly asked why on earth he was presuming to get between me and my much-needed rest, but he didn't seem to notice. "Did you enjoy your dinner?"

"It was quite satisfactory," I replied, inching forward in an attempt to make him get out of my way.

"I suppose you're on your way to the guest chamber. Is that correct, your Highness?"

"Yes, I am." At last we were getting somewhere.

"It's a very well-furnished room, isn't it?" No, we weren't getting anywhere. The confounded servant still wasn't moving.

I heard a sound like a door closing from the hallway beyond the porter. He heard it as well, and he looked over his shoulder to see what it was. I could have sworn he winked at whatever he was looking at. Turning back to me, he smiled but did not move. "I believe you will have a very pleasant stay at our lodge," he informed me.

"Thank you for that assurance," I said haughtily, "but my stay will be far from pleasant if I'm not permitted to access my chambers. Move aside."

I thought I detected a shadow of incredulity sweep across the porter's face before he bowed and got out of my way. He shouldn't have been so surprised. Obviously, I was tired. Maybe he didn't like my tone. But for heaven's sake, I was the prince. This was how princes treated servants.

Or rather, this was how I had recently begun to treat servants. Over the course of our travels I'd become rather…ornery. You've already seen that my conduct towards women had deteriorated. Evidently, the same could be said for the way I dealt with inferiors. To sum up the matter, the idealistic and cheerful Prince Maximilian had become a grumpy and proud man.

I could feel the porter's eyes boring into me as I entered my room. When I turned to the shut the door behind me, he was still watching with a puzzled expression.

That night I slept like a rock. When I finally awoke, groggy but rested, I flung my arm over to the table next to my bed, grabbed the bell on it, and rang it violently. Perhaps a minute later, Sir Wilhelm's valet scurried into the room and bowed deeply.

"How can I help you, your Highness?" he asked.

"Please send Sir Rolf to me," I said, perhaps a little more imperiously than was necessary.

"Yes, your Highness." The valet bowed again and looked like he was going to leave, but he suddenly stopped and gave me a strange look of mingled bewilderment and disgust.

"Is something wrong?" I peevishly asked. I was tired of Sir Wilhelm's servants looking at me so critically.

"No, your Highness," the valet immediately replied, but his expression did not change, and I think he muttered something to himself as he left the room.

Slightly confused, I looked down at myself, wondering what had provoked such an expression. Perhaps I looked a little undignified, sunk into my pillows as I was. Perhaps I seemed a little soft. A little foppish.

"Rolf, how bad do I look?" I asked when he finally entered the room.

Rolf frowned at me. "What do you mean, your Highness?"

"Look at me and describe what you see with a single adjective."

Pursing his lips, Rolf silently regarded me for a few long seconds as I gazed balefully back at him. At last, he opened his mouth and said, "Unappealing."

That wasn't what I wanted to hear, though I had expected something of the sort. "That's it? Just unappealing?"

"You told me to use only a single adjective."

"I did," I agreed, sitting up so that I looked a little less ridiculous. "Have I always seemed unappealing? I don't believe I have. I remember being a very appealing person. When did I start losing my appeal?"

"Sometime during our travels," Rolf replied.

"I started becoming crankier and crankier," I said, thinking over the past few months.

"And the attention which your subjects paid you went straight to your head," Rolf pointed out.

"Yes, I think it did." I pondered this for a few seconds, frowning at the quilt spread over my legs. "Well, I'll try to break my newfound pompous habits."

"That would probably be to your advantage."

The words themselves were not so strange, but something in Rolf's tone – something sly and knowing – made me look at him suspiciously. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

Rolf simply shrugged. "No one wants a cranky, pompous prince."

"I suppose not," I slowly agreed. "Rolf, are you trying to send me some kind of hidden message?"

"Have I ever done so before?"

"Well, yes, occasionally."

Rolf smiled at this. "Fear not, your Highness. I said exactly what I meant: No one wants a cranky, pompous prince."

There was definitely something he wasn't telling me. I could tell by the smirk on his face. Admittedly, Rolf always smirks, but this particular smirk seemed less habitual, more deliberate. I didn't trust it all.

After Rolf assisted me in dressing, I dismissed him, staring distrustfully at his back as he left. It then occurred to me that I should write to my parents and my sister to let them know where I was and how I was faring. I would just ring the bell on the nightstand to summon Sir Wilhelm's valet and have him bring me ink and paper – actually, no, I wouldn't do that. I didn't want the valet to give me another look of disgust. I was quite tired of those looks. Thus, I decided to go on a grand quest through the manor to locate writing materials.

As I stepped out of the room, I encountered Lady Therese's maid carrying a bundle of fabric. She immediately moved out of my way, bowing her head with a "Good morning, your Highness." I was about to reply, but before my lips could form a word, she was already shouting over her shoulder, "Keep dusting in the corners!"

I heard a high-pitched but muffled squeak of acquiescence from one of the other rooms along the hall. Turning back to me, the maid shrugged helplessly. "The scullery maid. Have to give her constant instructions."

"I see." Her sudden outburst had startled me, and I was watching her carefully so that she wouldn't take me by surprise again. "Could you tell me where I might find writing materials?"

"Yes, in the master's study. I'll fetch them for you immediately. Please wait just a minute." With a quick curtsey, the maid carried her bundle of cloth down the hall, down the stairs and out of sight.

I was left standing helplessly in the hall. So much for my grand quest. Several doors down, the scullery maid was still shuffling around, presumably finishing her dusting. _Maybe you should go talk to her_, I suggested to myself.

_No. She's a maid,_ I replied.

_Prince Maximilian, you have been treating servants abominably for the past twenty-four hours. This is your chance to redeem yourself. Don't you talk to the servants back in the palace?_

I supposed I did. And so, swallowing my pride and wondering what on earth I was going to say and why I always had such stupid ideas, I walked down the hall towards the room where I could hear the maid thumping around. As I approached, the sounds suddenly stopped, as though the maid was listening intently to my footsteps.

I had almost reached the room when a voice called out, "Your Highness, you shouldn't come inside. The room's a m-mess." What a strange voice it was, so high-pitched as to almost sound fake. It trembled, too. The maid must have been a very nervous sort of girl.

"I'm only curious," I replied, standing awkwardly in the middle of the hallway. "I thought I should meet you, as I have the other servants."

"No need," the high-pitched voice immediately said. I wasn't certain, but I thought I also heard a muttered, "Dear God, no." That was a bit hurtful.

"Very well," I said after a brief pause. The maid did not reply, and I returned to my room wondering what on earth Sir Wilhelm fed to his servants to make them so strange. Perhaps he drugged them. That definitely would not be legal. I wondered if I should ask Rolf to look into the matter.

Several minutes later, Lady Therese's maid had delivered me my ink, paper and pen, and I began to write. I told my parents all about the marvelous places I had seen during my travels, the wonderful people I had met, the many things I had learned. All utter nonsense, of course. My letter to Ingrid was slightly more truthful.

_Dear Ingrid_ (it began),_ Servants are strange creatures. _

I can always be open with my sister.

**So that's that. What did you think? What would you like to see in the final few chapters? **


	9. Chapter 9

**And here I thought the summer would give me more time to write. HA. Well, at least I managed to produce this chapter! I can't vouch for its quality, but I hope you enjoy it at least a little bit. As always, I absolutely have to thank those who reviewed the last chapter: LalaKisses_,_ foshizzledan, and A Contradiction (I especially appreciated your comments on what you'd like to see happen in the next few chapters). Without you guys...well, the story would end, because I would no motivation. So thank you. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 9:**

If I stayed at Sir Wilhelm's manor for much longer, I would lose my sanity.

Something was seriously wrong with the servants. Since my arrival at the manor one week earlier, I had seen the cook, valet, lady's maid, and doorman far more often than I should have. In retrospect, the scullery maid was clearly avoiding me, but I didn't worry about her elusiveness at the time. The other servants were baffling enough to make up for her. They all seemed to be testing me, and I had a horrible feeling that I was failing their tests.

It shouldn't have worried me. As the prince of the land, there was no reason for me to be concerned about what servants thought of me. In fact, I blame Rolf for much of my paranoia regarding Sir Wilhelm's servants. Were it not for Rolf, I would still have been mildly disturbed by the servants' calculating looks, but I wouldn't have grown to fear them. The fear came because Rolf took it upon himself to give a running commentary of my treatment of the servants, the servants' immediate reactions, and their whispered opinions of me.

"I heard the cook saying that you have a very discerning palate," he remarked one fine afternoon.

"Is that bad?" I worriedly asked.

Rolf merely shrugged. I felt more uneasy than ever.

Servants aside, Lady Therese also troubled me. She wouldn't stop talking about the ball: how beautiful the palace had been, how dashing I had looked, how sad it was that Lady Elke hadn't shared my feelings. She referred to Elke quite often, and she spoke as though she knew her. She spoke of Elke's obstinacy, her refusal to rely on others, her painful lack of decorum, her vanity.

I once asked Lady Therese how it was that she knew so much about the mysterious Elke. She merely giggled and said something incoherent about her ability to judge peoples' characters. I remained suspicious.

There was one especially painful dinner during which Lady Therese seemed to be on a mission to upset me. She began by referring to the final night of the ball. "It was so romantic when you swept Lady Elke out onto the balcony," she sighed.

Horrified, I nearly fell into my soup bowl. "What are you talking about?" I spluttered. I thought no one had seen us. I thought we had enjoyed a private moment. I refused to believe that Lady Therese's sharp eyes had ruined the sanctity of our kiss.

Even Heidi and Gretel seemed appalled at their mother's nerve. "Mother, you shouldn't speak of Prince Maximilian's private matters," Gretel hissed across the table.

Lady Therese pretended not to hear. "How shameful of her to jilt you," she continued. "You know, a lesser man would never have pursued a woman who had used him so horribly."

"I didn't feel used," I said. Only with the greatest difficulty was I maintaining my composure. Surely Lady Therese knew that she was hitting a sore spot. I hated thinking about how Elke's expression of bliss had morphed into one of utter horror as soon as the marriage entered the conversation. In fact, for the past several months, I had tried very hard not to think about it.

Good heavens, was Lady Therese still blathering her inane nonsense? Now she was praising my superhuman powers of forgiveness. A less welcome encomium was never given. I wondered if flinging my soup in her face would shut the woman up. Rolf must have divined my thoughts, for he shot me a warning glance from across the table. I could contain myself for a few more minutes, but my emotion would soon require an outlet. Thus, I rose from the table in as dignified a manner as was possible, announced my satiation ("After only two courses?" Sir Wilhelm exclaimed), and exited the room.

Once freed from the oppressive atmosphere of the dining room, I stomped back to my bedchamber, charging past the terrified-looking valet as I did so. When I had reached the safety of my room, I slammed the door shut and simply dropped onto the edge of the bed. A wave of anger, directed at both Lady Therese and, surprisingly, at Elke, immediately overwhelmed me. I could feel tears pricking the back of my eyes, and I was fully prepared to let them have their way, when a small shuffling noise startled me from my misery.

I nearly gave myself whiplash, so quickly did my head jerk towards the closet. The scullery maid, who had apparently been there all along, immediately faced the wall and pretended not to exist.

I had neither the emotional capacity nor the will to feel even the slightest annoyance at the maid's intrusion. For some time, I simply stared at the dirty cloth that covered her hair, not quite sure how to respond to her presence. She remained quite still, though once she peeked over her shoulder to see how I was reacting. I caught a glimpse of a soot-covered face before she hurriedly turned back to the wall.

This was awkward. Something had to be done. I opened my mouth to commend the maid's diligence and to politely suggest that she leave, but before I could say a word, she quietly said, "I'm sorry, your highness."

"It's fine," I said with the expression and voice of a living corpse. "How were you to know I was going to burst in while you were cleaning?"

"I meant about your loss," she said. Her voice was just as unnaturally squeaky as before.

Panic washed over me. What loss? What did she mean? Had something happened to my parents or Ingrid?

"The loss of your lady," the maid hastily clarified, sensing my rising distress.

I would have liked how she called Elke "your lady" were I not in such a sorry state at the time. However, I did manage to croak out, "Thank you."

After a very awkward pause, the maid timidly asked, "Would you like me to bring you some tea?"

"No," I sighed. "No."

Silence yet again. The maid began shuffling towards the door. She had her hand on the doorknob when she suddenly turned around and said, "If it's not too bold to say, I'm sure your lady suffers as much as you do."

"Doubtful," I immediately and loudly declared.

"Why do you say that?" she demanded. Her vehemence surprised me. She sounded almost angry. It was a jarring change from her previous timidity.

Startled, I replied, "I cannot speak with complete certainly on anything relating to the lady, but one must ask what sort of woman allows a man to love her only to flee at the suggestion of marriage."

"I think you are unjust," the maid said in her irritatingly high-pitched voice.

"I think my lady was a hypocrite," I snapped back. There. I'd said it. I had finally voiced the suspicion that had been lurking in the back of my mind for the past several months.

"A hypocrite?" the maid repeated incredulously.

I had stood and was now pacing back and forth across the room. "She lectured me on virtue, then showed clear distaste for a virtuous relationship. I daresay she qualifies as a hypocrite." I glanced briefly into the maid's blackened face. "You seem to take her side."

"There are many circumstances that could have occasioned her reluctance."

"Yet none I can think of that would leave her character unstained."

"And you demand an unstained woman?"

"No one is perfect, but my position and my preferences require relative purity."

"If you think the lady impure, why do you search for her?" the maid asked. She had placed her hands on her hips and was impaling me with a rather savage glare. It looked as though she was expecting something from me, but I could not for the life of me determine what that something might be.

I evenly replied, "My suspicions are not enough to destroy my love."

The maid and I stared at each other for several seconds longer. At last, I averted my gaze. "I have never before expressed these thoughts," I said in a much lower voice. "I must ask you not to repeat them."

"I swear I will not," she murmured.

"Thank you," I said. I glanced back at her sooty face and could not help remarking, "Perhaps you should wash your face."

"No, your highness," she quickly said, flinging open the door and disappearing through it.

She left me feeling baffled yet significantly lighter at heart. Perhaps I would keep my sanity after all.

**Reviews are appreciated! I'm hoping I can write the last several chapters fairly quickly. We'll see. I have a goal in mind, but I'm afraid to say it in case I fail. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I give up. I will never update any story within a decent amount of time. I'm really sorry about the delay. Hopefully you all haven't lost interest! As usual, I want to thank the wonderful, wonderful people who reviewed the previous chapter: Be Rose and RileyStarr. You guys keep me going! Quite frankly, without reviews, there is no motivation. It's a sad fact. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 10:**

"Sir Wilhelm, I finally remember seeing you at the ball." I made this announcement at dinnertime on the tenth evening after our arrival at the manor.

Sir Wilhelm glanced up from carving his meat. The guarded look in his eyes confirmed my suspicions. "I'm glad to hear it," he said. "What triggered your memory?"

"You know how these things are," I said, breezily waving my hand. "Just before dropping off to sleep, your mind suddenly gains remarkable acuity. The memory came to me yesterday evening."

Rolf was looking at me with a puzzled expression. Ordinarily he knew exactly what I was thinking, but now, for the first time in quite a while, he was in the dark. I mentally apologized to him. _Rolf, you will have to forgive your Prince Maximilian. He has found another confidante. _A rather scandalous confidante, in fact. Or at least unsuitable by most people's standards of royal advising.

Who was this new confidante, you ask? Well, it was the scullery maid. My outburst of three days earlier, during which I expressed my fears about Elke's integrity, had effectively demolished the walls that would usually have existed between us, the crown prince of the land and the lowest of servants. We had since spoken several times, and the maid had been kind enough to allow me to recount my entire courtship of Elke. (It was very cathartic, thank you.) As I told the sad tale, I had recalled a neglected detail from the first night of the ball: my conversation with an older gentleman immediately after Elke took off running down the street. I could just barely recall the gentleman's face, and I believed it to be the face of Sir Wilhelm. Now that I had asked Sir Wilhelm about it and witnessed his reaction, I knew that I was right.

"You were alone, if I recall correctly," I said, frowning as though having difficulty with my memory.

"That is quite possible," Sir Wilhelm agreed. "I prefer not to cling to my wife and daughters during a ball. They require some freedom in order to fully enjoy themselves."

"Certainly." I took another bite of my meat and chewed in what I hoped was a thoughtful manner. After swallowing, I remarked, "We were near the gates, were we not? You said you were departing. I told you that I had been escorting a young lady to her nonexistent carriage."

"Lady Elke?" Heidi asked.

I nodded. Sir Wilhelm was now looking a bit bewildered. "I remember, your highness," he said. "Was there anything very remarkable about our conversation?"

Now I shook my head. _Nothing but the calculating look in your eyes_, I thought. Aloud, I replied, "I simply wanted to make sure I remembered correctly." I gave him my friendliest smile before returning to my sauerbraten.

After dinner, Rolf accosted me on my way back to my room. "What were you trying to achieve?" he demanded. "What did you want Sir Wilhelm to say?"

"Nothing in particular," I replied. I caught a glimpse of the scullery maid over Rolf's shoulder and gave her a quick smile. Returning to Rolf, I dropped the grin and said in a low voice, "I don't trust Wilhelm or Therese or their daughters. We shouldn't stay here much longer."

"I don't think you need to worry about the daughters," Rolf said. "Gretel, especially, seems quite harmless. I think she's quite a nice girl."

I detected an odd but familiar intonation in his voice. Laughing, I said, "Then feel free to court her, if you must." I couldn't say I was fond of her, but she was a million times better than her sister.

He reddened. Apparently my comment had been right on target. "You're growing more insightful by the day, your highness."

"It's about time," I said with a rather uncharming snort. Some things will never change. "But I stand by my words about Wilhelm and Therese. Therese has some conniving motive behind her unceasing comments on Lady Elke. I've thought so from the start, but it didn't trouble me because I liked Wilhelm. But the Wilhelm I met at the ball did not give off a trustworthy air. Besides, at the time he said he was leaving. Wilhelm claims he attended the ball with his entire family, so he shouldn't have been departing alone. Something is not quite right."

"Perhaps he left alone because they took two carriages," Rolf objected.

"We've spent ten days at their home. It's quite clear that they have only one carriage." I was not going to budge, however much Rolf liked Wilhelm's daughter. "The bottom line is that I have had enough of these disingenuous people and the stifling atmosphere of their manor."

"Then we'll leave," Rolf said, good manservant that he was. "We shouldn't be too abrupt, though. It would be rude."

"Rudeness be hanged," I muttered. "But you're right, as usual. We'll stay two more nights. Tell Wilhelm our plans. Tell Dietrich and the soldiers, too."

"Yes, your highness," he said with a quick bow. "I suppose I should also have Gretel and Heidi try the golden shoe. Just for form's sake."

"Do," I agreed. "It will go a long way in silencing Lady Therese. Perhaps you can take care of it tonight?"

"I will."

Satisfied, I turned to leave, but I had not taken three steps when Rolf called after me, "If it's not impertinent to ask, was there something behind me that provoked your smile? I doubt there's a person in this manor whom you would be happy to see."

"You would be surprised," I said with a grin. "Enjoy your evening, Rolf."

As I expected and hoped, the scullery maid managed to intercept me just before I reached my chamber. "What did Sir Wilhelm have to say?" she asked, looking about to make sure no one was listening.

"Nothing much," I replied. I couldn't help smiling at her yet again. It seemed I was becoming quite fond of the little maid. Apparently it only takes three days to gain my good will. Of course, it had only taken three days for me to become besotted with Lady Elke, so perhaps one might have predicted this rapid friendship.

"But he's the man you saw at the ball?" Her squeaky voice was still rather hard on the ears.

"He is." I paused before adding, "Rolf and I have decided to leave in three days' time."

"Oh." She seemed less than pleased at this announcement. In fact, she sounded extremely disappointed.

"Lady Therese and Sir Wilhelm have me very ill at ease, especially when I consider my encounter with Wilhelm at the ball," I explained. "I'd rather not remain under their roof any longer."

"So the only conclusion you've drawn is that Sir Wilhelm cannot be trusted," the maid said in a dull voice.

I frowned at her flat tone. "Could I have drawn any other conclusion?" If she wanted anything else from me, she needed to speak up. Though I might have been growing more insightful, I was no mind reader.

"Perhaps not. Though I had thought…" she trailed off, then shook her head and said, almost to herself, "I've been expecting too much."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked. "If you're unhappy working here, I could find you a better place."

"Your highness, there are better uses for your royal influence than finding places for discontent scullery maids," she said with a short laugh. She was a rather snippy little thing, once you got to know her.

"If such uses exist, then I'm not aware of them," I retorted. "Do tell me if you need my help."

She averted her gaze. "Isn't it rather indecorous of you to be speaking so openly with a servant?"

I laughed. "Indecorous? My parents have applied that word to me so many times that I've lost count. I might just be the least decorous prince the kingdom has ever seen."

"Least decorous, yes, but I daresay also one of the kindest."

I gaped at her in astonishment – not because of her sentiments, though they were quite nice and sounded very heartfelt, but because her voice had changed completely. Her last words had been uttered not in her usual irritating squeak, but in one of the richest, loveliest voices I had ever heard. It sounded almost like Elke's voice.

The maid's face had grown so red that her blush was visible even under a layer of soot. "If you'll excuse me, I must return to my work," she said, turning to leave. Her squeak had returned.

"You should tell me your name," I said as she hurried past me. "If I have your name, I can give you a proper reference."

"No need," she hastily called over her shoulder. The sound of her footsteps gradually faded as she dashed to another region of the house, leaving me a little bewildered but not overly concerned.

I spent several hours that evening writing letters. In my missive to Ingrid, I asked her what would be the best thing to do for a maid who wanted a new place. Hopefully Ingrid wouldn't get the wrong idea. I could just imagine receiving a panicked letter threatening to wring my neck if I ever took a mistress.

Well, there was no cause at all for worry. I wasn't nearly _that_ fond of the scullery maid.

I was just sealing a letter to my parents when someone knocked on the door. Before I could reply, Rolf had charged into the room. He was breathing heavily and seemed very distraught. That sight alone put me into a near-panic. Rolf is never distraught.

Immediately I leaped to my feet. "What on earth is going on?" I demanded.

"I ran up the stairs," he explained, taking a very deep breath. "I'm afraid I have bad news. Well, strictly speaking, I suppose it's not quite _bad_, but it certainly isn't good."

"What's the news?" I asked. He needed to tell me quickly, because my overactive imagination was conjuring all sorts of dreadful scenarios.

"Heidi's foot fits the golden shoe."

Stupefied, I stared at him for several seconds before finding my voice. "Yes, that does qualify as bad news," I croaked.

I would have been happier if he had said the sky was falling.

**Hope this update was worth the wait. Let me know what you think! **


	11. Chapter 11

**I believe this will be the penultimate chapter. Huge thanks to everyone who has stuck with me through this story! I hope this chapter lives up to any expectations you may have. It's a bit chaotic, but I hope you enjoy it. Finally, I'd like to thank the reviewers of the previous chapter: GingerBrown and** **RileyStarr****. **

**Chapter 11:**

I took a very deep breath, bracing myself before entering the drawing room. Sir Wilhelm, Lady Therese, Gretel, Heidi, and Rolf were all waiting for me. Since I had refused to see Heidi the night before on the grounds that I was going to bed, I had to make an appearance this morning. I knew Therese, Wilhelm and Heidi would greet me with terrifyingly gleeful grins. Rolf would look more somber, and Gretel would probably follow Rolf's lead. Apparently those two had reached some sort of understanding. I wondered if Wilhelm and Therese would give their blessing to that union now that Heidi was to marry the crown prince. Rolf's position was an excellent one, but while Gretel the second daughter of a petty lord could do far worse, Gretel the sister of the future queen could do much, much better.

Heavens, I did not want to enter that room. I knew I had to marry Heidi. The integrity of the throne depended on it. If the prince says that he will marry any girl whose foot fits the golden shoe, then marry that girl he must. No matter how simpering and generally odious she is.

I steeled my nerves and flung open the door to the drawing room. There they were, looking obnoxiously happy. "I hear the shoe fits," I said, mustering the faintest hint of the smile.

"Isn't it wonderful, your highness?" Lady Therese squealed. She all but shoved me onto the couch next to Heidi, who was trying to look pretty and demure. It seemed that she was holding back tears. Goodness, was she that happy to be marrying me? I glanced down at her feet. Sure enough, I could just barely see the toe of the golden shoe poking out from under her skirts.

Lady Therese was zipping about like a fly at a picnic. "Sir Rolf informed us that you want to return to the capital," she was saying. "I suppose you'll take Heidi with you now?"

"I suppose so," I mechanically replied. On my left, I could feel Heidi willing me to look at her, but I was determined to resist.

"The wedding will be exquisite, won't it?"

"Let's not worry about that just yet," I immediately cut in. I think my insistent tone startled Lady Therese, for she remained silent for next several minutes.

There was a brief but very awkward pause, broken by a knock on the drawing room door. "Enter," Sir Wilhelm called out.

Sir Dietrich marched into the room, his face a study in indifference. "I came to offer my congratulations," he announced.

"Thank you," I said, though the words came out more like a groan than anything else.

"The men are glad that your search is over," Dietrich added.

The words were like a punch to the gut. Yes, I supposed my search really was over, though I certainly hadn't found what I was looking for. "The shoe fit," I said with a cheerless laugh.

Dietrich was giving Heidi a very hard look. It seemed to make her uncomfortable, for she began shifting her weight on the couch. "Sir Dietrich, is something wrong?" Sir Wilhelm asked him, frowning.

"No, sir," Dietrich replied, tearing his eyes away from Heidi's reddening face. Turning to me, he said, "If it's alright, your highness, I would like to speak with you about our departure."

"Now?" Therese screeched. "Surely not! We must celebrate!"

"I will return shortly," I told her. As I rose to my feet, I gave Dietrich a look of heartfelt gratitude. The two of us exited the room, with Rolf following behind. Together, we all headed to the other sitting room for more privacy.

As soon as the sitting room door had closed behind us, Rolf burst out, "Your highness, I want to apologize." He seemed close to tears.

Never before had I seen Rolf in such a state. His emotion was contagious. Falling into a chair, I dropped my face into my hands. "You have nothing to apologize for," I croaked into my sweaty palms.

Shaking his head, he sat in another chair directly across from mine. "This was my idea," he insisted. "I told you to marry the girl whose foot fit the shoe. I never imagined she would be anyone but your Lady Elke. Please forgive me."

"My old friend, you are certainly forgiven." Glancing into his face, I gave him a quick grin. "Though I do think I'll need quite a bit of your help to cope with my upcoming marriage."

His smile was forced. "Naturally," he said.

"I don't think your marriage is as inevitable as you think," Dietrich suddenly announced.

"Don't give me hope," I snapped, glaring up at him and pointing a finger of warning at his chest.

"The shoe does not really fit the lady's foot," Dietrich insisted.

He seemed quite sure of himself. I was intrigued, though I didn't want to believe and then be disappointed. "What makes you say that?" I asked. "You'd better have some substantive reasons." I regretted speaking so harshly, but I was terrified lest he be wrong.

Dietrich cleared his throat before replying, "I saw the lady walking into the drawing room. She was limping."

"That's not enough," I immediately cut in.

"Moreover," Dietrich continued, talking over me, "the lady looked very uncomfortable as she sat beside you.

"Perhaps she was nervous. Still not enough."

"As I entered, she moved her feet backwards, tucking them a little bit under the couch." How on earth had he noticed this? Perhaps silent, stalwart Sir Dietrich was actually an intelligence agent. I would have to ask my father the king. "As she did so, she left a smear of blood on the carpet."

"Blood?" I blankly repeated, not quite comprehending.

"Are you sure?" Rolf demanded. He sounded almost as desperate as I felt.

Dietrich nodded. He seemed rather pleased with himself. "I am completely certain. If it pleases your highness, I would like to return to the drawing room and interrogate the lady." He paused, noticed my still-vacant expression, and said very firmly, "The shoe does not fit."

Cruel hope was welling up inside me despite my best efforts to contain it. After several seconds of deliberation, I nodded to Dietrich. "Interrogate her."

He left the room. For several minutes, Rolf and I sat together in complete silence. Eventually, I mustered the courage to ask, "You don't think he's right, do you? After all, you were present when she tried on the shoe."

Rolf shook his head. "I was not."

"Why not?" I almost shouted. It seemed that the entire world was conspiring to give me hope. I couldn't take it.

Rolf's face began to redden. After a brief pause, he replied, "I was speaking with Gretel at the time."

That was all that needed to be said. We continued to wait. Half of me told myself that Dietrich would come through the door any minute and announce that he had been wrong. My other half insisted that I would soon be free.

Beyond the closed door, someone started shrieking. That was a good sign. The shrieks grew louder; I could now hear some sobs mixed in with the screams. The door opened, and there was Dietrich, and he looked very pleased with himself. In his hand was the golden shoe. Heidi was following him, wailing. Therese, who was following Heidi, was the source of the shrieking. Wilhelm was trying and failing to calm his rather unhinged wife.

"How dare you!" she snarled. "How dare you insult my daughter!"

"Silence," I commanded her, standing and summoning all my princely gravitas. "Sir Dietrich, what have you found?"

"Lady Heidi, please show the prince your foot," Dietrich said to the sobbing young lady.

"What an outrage!" Therese screamed. "Wilhelm, tell them they can't do this!"

At peril of having his eyes scratched out, Wilhelm muttered, "You mustn't demand such immodesty."

"When someone has tried to deceive the throne, they no longer have a right to any modesty," Dietrich insisted. What a good fellow. At that moment, I was very close to loving him. "Lady Heidi, show the prince your foot."

Choking back another sob, Heidi pulled up her skirts just far enough for me to see her bruised, blistered, and bloodied foot. "Good heavens," I breathed, staring at the appalling wounds. "What have you done?"

"The shoe fit," Therese hissed. "I made sure it fit."

"You forced the shoe on your daughter's foot," I said in utter disgust.

Wilhelm was staring at his wife in horror. Apparently he had been unaware of her actions. "Heidi wanted me to," Therese insisted, pointing a finger at her weeping daughter.

"No, I didn't," Heidi said in a very small voice.

"Bite your tongue!" Therese snapped at her.

"It hurt!" Heidi wailed in protest. "I didn't want that!"

"You wanted the prince, didn't you? I was helping you reach your goal!"

"Therese, while I don't doubt your intentions," Wilhelm tried to interrupt, "I believe your approach was a little…"

"Shut up," Therese growled.

Someone needed to take charge, or the poor drawing room would descend into madness. "Lady Therese," I spoke over the lady's snarling insults to her husband, "any attempt to deceive the crown the prince of the land is punishable with years in prison." This effectively shut the lady up. She looked at me with a panicked expression. I calmly continued, "I will not punish you for this offense. However, should you ever again behave in a treasonous manner, there will be no mercy for you." Turning to Wilhelm, I said, "I believe my men and I will leave today. Thank you for your hospitality."

"Of course, your highness," he said, sheepishly hurrying out of the room.

Finally, there was the weeping maiden to deal with. "Lady Heidi, I wish you the best," I told her. "Please go have a physician tend to your foot."

She sniffled, hiccoughed, nodded, and limped out of the drawing room. Lady Therese, much chastened, accompanied her, though she managed to shoot me a look of pure venom just before the door closed behind her. Truly, a terrifying woman.

"Well done, your highness," Rolf said to me.

Relieved yet exhausted, I dropped back into my chair. "Sir Dietrich, thank you for all you have done today," I said, though I believe my fatigue kept me from sounding very grateful. "Please tell the men that we will leave in an hour. I should tell her goodbye." This last sentence was murmured to no one in particular.

Dietrich bowed, handed the golden shoe to Rolf, and departed. "Where will we go next?" Rolf asked after a brief silence.

"Home," I immediately replied. "Perhaps, after I have recovered from this ordeal, I will continue the search for Lady Elke. At present, I don't have the emotional stamina."

The door creaked open. Glancing up, I saw a sour-faced Therese enter with the porter, who looked rather pleased that his mistress's plan had failed. "I have told the servants to ready your things," she sullenly informed me.

"Is that the golden shoe?" the porter asked, gesturing towards the shoe in Rolf's hands.

I smiled at his curiosity. "It is," I replied.

"I'm told that you have been allowing every young lady in the land to try fitting her foot into the shoe," he continued.

"I have. Hence the…situation, if you will, with Lady Heidi."

"Has every lady in this house tried on the shoe?" the porter asked, giving me a very significant look.

"Yes," Therese immediately cut in. "Yes, every lady has."

"No, I don't believe that's correct," I said as realization dawned upon me. "Are you perhaps thinking of the scullery maid?"

"I am," the porter said with a smug grin.

Therese cackled cheerlessly. "That trollop is no lady. She's barely a human. All she does is wallow in ashes."

That was too much. Although the scullery maid refused to let me help her in any other way, I would at the very least give her the respect owed to her as a lady and as a human. The maid would try on the golden shoe.

"Please tell the maid to come to the drawing room," I said to the porter. He was only too happy to comply. Rolf went with him, leaving me and Therese in an uncomfortable tete-a-tete.

Lady Therese was glaring savagely at me, but I merely grinned at her. "It is good to be thorough," I mildly observed.

Her expression only darkened. "The girl is an eyesore. She has no value."

"Then why haven't you fired her?"

Before Therese could reply, I heard Rolf's outraged voice shout, "You locked her in the cellar?"

"What on earth is going on?" I wondered, standing and exiting the drawing room. I had been sitting there for far too long, anyways.

In the hallway, I found Rolf and Wilhelm roaring at one another. "Stay out of my family's business!" Wilhelm was shouting.

"Confining an innocent girl in a cellar is no one's business!" Rolf retorted. "The porter will bring her back here, she will try on the shoe, and we will take her with us and find her a better position in the capital."

I stepped between the two men before one of them decided that blows were necessary. Rolf looked as though he very badly wanted to bash Wilhelm in the head with Elke's golden shoe. "Did I hear correctly? Has the maid has been locked in the cellar?" I quietly asked Rolf. While my exterior remained calm, inwardly I was seething. It was unforgivable to treat anyone in such a way.

"Indeed," Rolf replied. "It seems Wilhelm wanted to keep her out of the way until you had left with Lady Heidi."

"How dare you refer to me without my title," Wilhelm muttered mutinously.

"You don't deserve a title," Rolf snarled at him.

We heard footsteps approaching, and soon enough, the porter was hurrying towards us, accompanied by an even-dirtier-than-usual scullery maid. "I have her! I have her!" he said, beaming.

It was hard to read the maid's expression, since her face was so thoroughly caked in grime. Still, I thought she looked rather terrified. "You have nothing to fear," I said, hoping to reassure her. When her look of anxiety did not dissipate, I repeated, "I will make sure that you have nothing to fear."

She still wasn't relaxing at all. Frustrated, I pulled her aside and said in a low voice, "Therese was speaking horribly of you, and I couldn't bear it. I thought, We must allow the maid to try on the golden shoe, if only to make the statement that she is as worthy of respect as any titled lady. So that's what we're going to do, if you're willing. Afterwards, you really must come with us. We will find you a new position away from these people."

"Your highness…" she tried to interrupt.

"Would you accept my help as a favor from a friend?" I asked, hoping I could convince her to give up her stubbornness. I truly thought very highly of the maid, and I wanted to place her in an environment where she could be happy.

She simply stared up at me for several long seconds, then uttered several words that I did not expect. "I love you, Max."

I gaped down at her. "Good heavens."

It was at that moment that Rolf called out, "Your highness, shall we proceed?" He had somehow sedated Wilhelm for the time being; the man was nowhere in sight.

"Y-Yes," I stammered, turning away from the maid and nodding to my trusted manservant. "Let's return to the sitting room." Avoiding the maid's eyes, I reentered the sitting room to see Lady Therese still sulking. I ignored her.

"Please sit," Rolf said to the maid, beckoning her to a nearby chair.

As she sat, I noticed the porter enter the room. He looked as though he was only barely containing his overpowering glee. Well, at least someone in Wilhelm's household was happy. The poor, overwhelmed maid had begun to shake. She continued to tremble as Rolf knelt before her and withdrew the golden shoe. The shaking grew worse as he took her foot in her hands. I hoped she wasn't going to have a seizure. Perhaps bestowing this "honor" wasn't such a good idea, after all.

Rolf placed the maid's toes into the shoe, then gently inserted her heel. It was effortless.

Heavens above.

No one quite knew how to respond to this miracle. For several long seconds, everyone in the room stared at the shoe, which seemed to fit the maid's foot so comfortably. What do you say when you find what you've always wanted in the most unlikely of places?

The porter was the one to break the silence. "See, Elli?" he said to the maid. "You should have come to the prince long ago." He sounded immensely smug.

"Elli?" I repeated blankly.

"My real name," she said, keeping her eyes stubbornly fixed on her feet.

The porter soon realized that no one was going to move unless he took charge. He snorted, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, drew close to the maid (Elli? Elke?), and began tenderly wiping her filthy face, as a loving father might. She did not resist. After a while, he reached up and pulled away the cloth that covered her head. A mass of golden hair fell onto her shoulders.

The sight of her hair jolted me from my uncomprehending stupor. I took several halting steps towards her, then simply dropped onto my knees next to the chair in which she was seated. I looked up into her face. It was still smudged heavily with soot, but the porter had wiped enough grime away that I could identify the features of the woman I had fallen in love with.

She met my gaze and promptly turned bright red. I started laughing, she started giggling, and then to my alarm I realized that I had also started crying. "So this is good," I managed to choke out, rather lamely. What do you say at such a moment?

We remained in joyful silence for a while longer. Eventually, Rolf and the porter excused themselves, taking the dour Lady Therese with them. The maid and I were left alone. At last I found my voice again. "I should call you Elli, then?"

"Yes," she said with a small smile.

"Why didn't you use your proper name at the ball?"

"We'll save the full story for another time. But I promise I will tell you later." She was using her true voice again, not the false squeak that had so grated on my nerves.

I wanted to take her into my arms and triumphantly announce that we would be married in the morning, but I remembered her panicked reaction to my first proposal and checked myself. Instead, I quietly said, "I don't know if your thoughts on the possibility of marriage have changed?"

"Oh. That," she sighed, looked down into her lap. My heart sank. She continued, "At that time, you know, I was rather afraid of my family."

I stared at her uncomprehendingly. Now that I had gotten over my first explosion of joy, countless questions were popping into my brain. How had this maid gotten to my ball in the first place? Why on earth would her family object to a union with the crown prince of the land? Who was Elli, really? I was determined to marry her, but I still didn't know anything about her.

Although Elli was still staring into her own lap, her face had turned bright red. It seemed that she was struggling to produce words. I waited. Finally, she said in a near-whisper, "You are the best man I have ever met and I would be honored to marry you."

All thoughts of questioning her flew out of my head. At that moment, I couldn't have cared less how she got to the ball or why she had been afraid of her family. She would tell me some other time. For now, all I could do was to gently lift up her face and touch my lips to hers.

_Prince Maximilian, I daresay you've found yourself a_ _wife. _

**So that's that! Tune in at some point (hopefully very soon) for the epilogue. And please tell me what you think of this chapter! **


	12. Epilogue

**Well, here we are. This is basically a bit of fluff to close out the story; hopefully you all will enjoy it! I thought it might be nice to get out of Max's brain, too, so here you'll be getting a fresh perspective. Of course, many, MANY thanks to the wonderful people who reviewed chapter 11: RileyStarr, RandomAngel123, Aspen's Whisper, Jimli, and Be Rose.**

**The magic tree mentioned in this chapter is part of the original Grimm brothers' story. It's weird, like the tar from several chapters ago, but I figured I'd keep it so I didn't have to come up with another explanation for how Elli got to the ball! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Epilogue: **

A deep frown had settled upon Prince Maximilian's face. He scowled at Rolf, then at Gretel, then at Sir Dietrich. Now it was my turn. When his eyes fell upon me, however, his gaze softened. For the thousandth time since I had come to the palace, I wondered how on earth it was possible that such a man could love me. I gave him a small smile, and his handsome face lit up with even stronger affection. It never ceased to amaze me how transparently he showed his emotions. At times like this, he made me weak in the knees.

Still, he had to complete his business with the four of us. He had ordered us all to assemble in the throne room so that he could determine precisely how we had all manipulated and lied to him. I suppose he _had_ been jerked around quite a lot. "Everyone who knew that Elli the maid was the woman I loved, raise your hand," he commanded us. Rolf, Gretel and I all raised our hands.

Max gave Sir Dietrich an approving pat on the back. "Good man, staying ignorant and not betraying your prince."

"My mother probably would have gouged my eyes out if I had told you," Gretel said without a hint of irony. How true. That bloodthirsty Therese would have strangled me as soon as she married into the family if my father hadn't limited her to mere enslavement.

"Your Highness, we weren't trying to keep you from happiness," Rolf explained. "Lady Elli had told me not to reveal her identity." He was clever, pinning this on someone the prince would never chastise. But I couldn't blame him. After all, he spoke the truth: I _had_ told him to keep quiet.

But I couldn't stay lost in my thoughts. Max was now glaring at me, and however much he loved me, he was going to become angry unless I explained myself. Love hadn't quite made him blind. "I was too afraid of my family," I said simply.

He gave me his best _but-I'm-the-prince_ look. I merely shrugged. "Fear isn't rational."

"But you didn't trust me to protect you," he said. He sounded rather hurt.

"Max, you must understand that when you first came to my father's manor, I knew you only as the rather energetic prince who had stalked me through the city after his ball and declared his undying love merely three days after meeting me." Perhaps this was a little harsh, but I knew Max preferred when people were blunt with him. Lord knows he's equally blunt with everyone else.

"So you didn't trust my…emotional stability?" Max asked. The hurt in his eyes had transformed to sympathy. After several long and serious conversations, he understood that I had become rather distrustful of human nature following my father's transformation under Therese's thumb. Upon witnessing that rather hideous metamorphosis, I had promised myself never to be yoked to a deceitful or weak man. After getting to know Max at my family's manor, I had realized the strength of his character. That realization had made it all too easy to fall in love with him.

I gave him another small grin and said, "But I trust and love you now."

He returned my smile. "I love you, too," he said, once again making my heart pound. "Even if your story about how you came to the ball is completely nonsensical," he added. For some reason, every time he says something touching, he feels the need to negate it with a less charming comment. But even that habit of his makes me love him more.

"If Therese hadn't forced my father to chop down the magic tree, I could prove my story," I sighed.

"Magic tree," Max repeated, skeptically raising his eyebrows.

"There _was_ a magic tree," I insisted.

"There very well could have been a magic tree," his sister Ingrid's voice suddenly said. She entered the hall from a small door behind the throne. "Elli, you said the tree grew over your mother's grave?"

"It did," I said. "My father and I planted it there after her death." That was before my father married Therese, who had essentially charmed him with her money. Father had changed enormously since then; he was hardly recognizable as the same man.

Ingrid nodded in understanding. "Then perhaps your love for your mother gave power to the tree. Such things have happened before." Turning to the others, she announced, "I've come to stop the interrogation. Sir Dietrich, I believe the king wishes to speak with you."

"Of course," he said. Bowing, he turned and left.

"He _must _be an intelligence agent," Max murmured to no one in particular as he watched the dutiful captain walk away.

"Max, do you intend to release the others?" Ingrid asked, pointedly raising her eyebrows at him.

"Fine, fine, we'll stop," Max grudgingly agreed. "Rolf, Gretel, feel free to leave as well."

Rolf gave him a smirk, took Gretel's arm, and followed Dietrich out of the great hall. Ingrid was now looking at me and Max with a benevolent smile on her face. "Max," she said, "I think you should simply enjoy your happy ending, rather than trying to understand how it came about."

"After such a struggle to achieve joy, it feels wasteful to just wallow it," Max replied with a laugh. He drew near and took my hand.

"It can't be helped. Happiness makes pigs of us all," I remarked, squeezing his hand. He laughed again – he has a delightful, hearty laugh – and leaned in to kiss me.

Ingrid immediately interrupted, "Your wallowing will have to wait." We glanced guiltily at her, but she was smiling. "Elli, the seamstress is here for your first fitting."

"Fittings. Proof of the devil's existence," Max said, wrapping his arms around me in mock-protectiveness. "Don't succumb, Elli!"

I escaped his embrace, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and skipped to Ingrid's side. "What am I to do while you're being harassed by the seamstress?" Max called after me.

"Father wants to talk to you after he's finished with Sir Dietrich," Ingrid informed him.

I giggled as a look of horror spread across his face. He had explained to me his dread of facing the king while he sat behind his exceedingly manly desk. "About what?" he croaked.

"The wedding, of course. What else would you discuss?"

"Since my return, he's been easing me into the responsibilities of ruling," Max explained with a heavy sigh. "He seems to think my journeys have rendered me much wiser and more mature." He sounded as though he was complaining, but I knew he delighted in being given real responsibility. He would make a wonderful king when the time came. Even now, as he gazed up at the portraits of former kings which adorned the throne room, his eyes were lit with anticipation.

"Isn't the king right?" I asked, pulling him out of his reverie. "At the very least, you've outgrown your stalking habits."

"You, my dear, need to forget about that unfortunate night," Max said, pointing a finger of warning at me. "We can't begin our married life holding grudges." I loved the small smile that crept across his face whenever he spoke of our future marriage.

"It's a memory, not a grudge," I playfully replied.

Max looked as though he wanted to kiss the living daylights out of me, but he remembered his sister's presence and restrained himself. "I believe Ingrid's growing impatient," he remarked. "She may be a nun, but she's no saint. Let's not try her."

Laughing, Ingrid and I turned to leave. I glanced over my shoulder to see Max staring at me with an expression of adoration. "Heavens, I don't deserve you," he murmured. My heart nearly stopped.

Three months later, Prince Maximilian and I were married. He claims he loves me more with every passing day. I know for certain that I couldn't live without him. We've kept my golden slipper and given it a place of honor in the throne room, not because it has any value in itself, but because of what it means to us: that love is worth pursuing.

**So there you have it. Thank you for reading, my friends! **


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